Book 1 of The Immortal Warrior Series: The Idiotic Strongest Fighter
by ImBoredSoJustDoingRandomFanfic
Summary: A being who overcome all obstacles and raise to the peak of Murim at the cost of everything, even his own past is lost. However, he still remembers his dream. Now, if he can just find out why everyone keeps looking at him like a freak in this weird place. Warning: OP OC! Small harem, 2-4.
1. Arc 0 - Chapter 1: My Life

Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is purely a fanfic for enjoyment.

Cross-over from various games, books, anime, manga, and movies.

The familiar characters you see here belong to their respected authors and owners.

 _'Thoughts'_

"Speech"

Time*

 **Noise***

(Location)

* * *

 **Arc 0 - Chapter 1: My Life**

(Unknown)

* * *

 **Year 1: The Start**

* * *

I was told that I was a bit different from the other children. For one, my first words weren't something like Father or Mother. Instead of just one word, I had nine words that appear in my mind out of nowhere one day.

A clear mind, and a silent and serene heart.

These nine words would always forever be with me throughout my life. I just never knew how much they affected me. But, no one knew about this. Not even my parents, as it took a few more weeks before I spoke out my 'first' word.

* * *

 **Year 2: The Strong Live, The Weak Die**

* * *

Following up the next year; I realized another thing that I find myself curious about the surrounding around me. And something that's important for me to follow for the rest of my life.

Seeing my own Father kneel before a stranger, who I later learn was someone with a powerful background.

I learned that this world ruled by strength and the weak shall always have to lower themselves to the strong.

* * *

 **Year 3: Why Mother?**

* * *

On the day I became three years old. My own Mother explained to me that she and I belong to an ancient family, but only us two are left while the rest is long dead. Killed by our family's enemies with no allies to help us. As our own allies betrayed us and join hands with the enemy side.

This is when my Mother hand me our family's [Forbidden Martial Arts: The Black Heaven & Earth Style] instead of the regular Martial Arts.

The reason why it's forbidden was that many users will fall into the side-effects of training this [Forbidden Marital Arts], where the users will be overwhelmed by extreme negative emotions and will kill everything around them.

As a child, I didn't even understand everything that my Mother said to me back then. All, I know is that I need to learn everything and practice the family's Martial Arts. And regain get our revenge on our family's killers.

* * *

 **Year 10: Please Get Better... Mother**

* * *

It only took me 7 years to master the [Black Heaven & Earth Style].

However, my Mother wasn't in the right state of mind by then. I just wished I had spent more time with my Mother more than continue training the [Black Heaven & Earth Style].

As my Mother had become ill after Father left Mother and me behind for a rich lady, who took a liking to Father's look.

That is the first time I felt myself hating someone for the first time. Leading to the [Black Heaven & Earth Style]'s [Dark Intimidating Aura] to affect me at a young age.

However, thanks to my [Mantra: A clear mind, and a silent and serene heart]. I wasn't affected by the negative emotions from training the [Black Heaven & Earth Style]. But, that didn't stop the [Dark Intimidating Aura] from growing.

Now, my own Mother could barely do anything, causing me to learn how to take care of myself and my Mother. But, she continues to force me to work on my Martial Arts until no one could defeat me in battle.

* * *

 **Year 20: Family? My Mother Is My Only Family!**

* * *

I learned many things while taking care of my Mother for over 10 years while keeping up my training as I promise my Mother to continue working on it. Which I continue up to now.

One: Never trust so easily. As I lost more money than I should thank, to the many people wanting to take advantage of me and my Mother, who could no longer get of bed at this point.

Two: Almost everyone would want something in return as an exchange for their help. Showing that no one in this world would do anything for free to a stranger, even to a close one. After all, the family on my Father side tried to offer a low price on the house my Mother and I own, as a way to help us by giving us the money to buy medicine for Mother to get better.

Sadly, the amount of money my so-called family. No. They no longer my family, but just strangers from my former Father's family. As the amount of money wasn't enough to even buy to help Mother.

* * *

 **Year 30: The Secret**

* * *

It's a miracle my Mother lasted this long and enough to see me grow up.

At the age of 30; I buried my own Mother in the backyard of home by myself. No one came by to help. No one cared about the death of Mother. Not even my own Father. No, I shouldn't even call him Father at all. Like that man's family.

I found the diary of my Mother hidden underneath her bed, but it wasn't really a diary and more of a message to me. Like Mother knew I would find it the moment she died.

I learned that Mother never even married the man and got pregnant with me. It was out of the goodness of Mother's heart that allowed that man to stay with us for a while until he left for another woman after Mother allowed him to stay with us.

After what my Mother did for him, but he still abandoned us. That man will wish he has never abandoned Mother and me.

However, much to my horror, I found out that Mother wasn't ill at all. But, poisoned by the very same woman that man picked over Mother and me.

The only reason I'm still alive was that Mother uses a [Forbidden Technique] to give my body to be immune to all poison. At the cost of 80% of her lifespan.

Mother even gave up her Martial Arts by using another family's [Forbidden Technique] to transfer her Martial Arts into me, which allowed me to train the [Black Heaven & Earth Style] without any bad side-effects at the early age.

It's no wonder I managed to master the [Black Heaven & Earth Style] at the age of 10. And the reason why Mother continues to demand me to master all I could with the [Black Heaven & Earth Style]. As Mother went the same thing I did early on. And only useful up to the age of 12.

I would have gone and avenge Mother by killing the woman that poisoned my Mother. But, in the diary, mention that I need to go on a journal to find our family's main home. To gain the family's treasure, which is one of the many reasons why almost everyone desire to destroy my family.

* * *

 **Year 60: Immortal**

* * *

It took me 30 years to find my family's main home, where it's at the peak of the tallest mountain, and one of the forbidden land, where dangerous beasts rest. And the only reason my family didn't come here to stay safe was due to the family's rules of only those that masted the [Black Heaven & Earth Style] may come here.

Upon arriving, I found out that it's in ruin and look like a battle has taken place. So, it looks like I won't be able to find any member of my family. And even this place wasn't a safe haven either.

Looking around the place; I found almost everything is destroyed. But, thankfully, I carried around my Mother's diary, even if it isn't really a diary in the first place. Near the end of the book; there are many draws of maps. Showing that Mother knew that the main home of our family would be ruined.

And I was smart enough to connect the dots, to know that my Mother was here before.

It took some time, but I follow the direction on the diary Mother wrote down, where she wanted me to go. Upon finding a hidden entrance, that leads to an underground room, where I found only a small room, that only has a table in the middle.

On the table; there are a few things. One of them is a note, that's covered in dust and a small red box that barely takes any space on the table.

Carefully take the note first, afraid that I may damage what may be a warning of some sort. However, it wasn't a warning, but a note from my dead Mother. Who really did come here before I was born.

As I read the note, I found out that this is a note to me and explained to me what's inside the red box, where I discovered that inside the red box was a pill of immortality and a pill to regain back one prime age.

The first pill will make anyone that eat this to become an ageless immortal. One of the many rare treasures of the world. Not the best immortal treasure, but still rare that would drive many Clans into madness to get their hands on this. Even if this one of the lowest-ranked immortal pill. Only making one ageless, that's it.

The second pill will make an old person regain back their youth, the prime of their life without any side-effect, other than they won't regain back those years from time itself. Only the appearance and the body of youth is regained back, while the lifespan of that person will remain the same. Very valuable towards people that desire to have a younger appearance than being so old looking.

Of course, even if these two are rare treasures, doesn't mean others haven't managed to get one themselves. In fact, Mother explained on the note, that the immortal pill was created by her own Father, while the youth pill was created by her Mother.

Both were meant for herself, but Mother didn't have the will to continue on in this endless torture called life. The only reason she continues on was to give birth to someone that can. Me.

I notice how Mother didn't write down my first name and just left the family's name instead, but I know this was for either me or someone that she gave birth to before me.

Either way, Mother experiences many things that would have made her kill herself right away. But, those things she will never tell me and take them to her grave.

Nonetheless, I know that Mother only continues to live as she could be to help raise me to become who I am.

Opening the red box, where I found two pills, one is white, while the other one being blue. The white one is the immortal pill and the blue being the youth pill.

I found another note, that has a few words, where I could stop now and just live my life how I wanted. If not, I must avenge the family upon eating these two pills as payment to eating them.

I've already promised myself to avenge Mother. So, I took both pills. Giving me back my youth, turning me back to my body back to my early 20s.

Even after 30 years of travels to come here, where I have taken many lives and escaped to keep my life, even if it means exchanging for someone else lives for mine.

For now, I'll start training again until I deem myself ready to take on my family's killers.

* * *

 **Year 100: Blessing Or A Curse?**

* * *

40 long years. That's how it took me to completely master the [Black Heaven & Earth Style] and create other [Techniques] to go with it. Where I have created the [Heaven Destruction's Techniques]. A set of [Techniques] that could destroy the land itself by using [Ki] itself.

And the [Earth Rebellion's Techniques], another set of [Techniques] that mostly used in a defensive approach, but could still be used for an offensive. However, it lacks the destruction power in a wide range unlike the [Heaven Destruction's Techniques].

However, this wasn't enough as I found out that the woman and that man somehow gained a pseudo-immortal pill, where the consumers will require to consume the same pseudo-immortal pill every month to continue living.

A bit uncommon, but easier to obtain than the ageless immortal pill I have taken.

Honestly, this was a good thing for me. Because I lost track of time and was afraid I lost my chance of avenging Mother.

Knowing this, I didn't dare rush like I was about to. And throw myself back into training, to master those [Heaven Destruction's Techniques] and [Earth Rebellion's Techniques] I have created.

* * *

 **Year 200: Joining The Ranks**

* * *

In the hundred years of training. I have made a name for myself in the world of Murim. People have started calling me one of the old monsters, where I have obtained the same rank as the other immortal beings.

* * *

 **Year 500: Lifeless**

* * *

I've killed all those that killed my family. And even avenged my Mother's death by killing the same woman that poison her, along with the man that left Mother and me. Even after he begged for mercy. Sadly, I was out of mercy.

It took me hundreds of years to accomplish my goals. But, in the end, I was left with nothing. All I had was my Martial Arts and experience in countless battles.

I had no goal, making the world seem lifeless to me. But, the promise I kept with Mother, to continue to train the [Black Heaven & Earth Style]. So, I continue to fight and fight, until it becomes the number 1 Martial Arts in Murim in the process.

* * *

 **Year 1,000: Now, Immortals Are Involved**

* * *

It took 500 years to make the [Black Heaven & Earth Style] the number one Martial Art in the mortal ranks. Now, all those that haven't reached the peak of their Martial Arts or immortal beings, will die before my fists.

But, I know this wasn't enough as countless of other Martial Artists have done the same as me. Now, I start the next level of battles. The battles of the immortals.

Of course, I made more enemies than allies. In fact, thanks to how I grow up in the environment of only just Mother and me. I have developed a trust issue, where my trust is almost impossible to be obtained.

Which is why many immortals have continued to hunt me down for killing their family members, I have killed for a simple reason to something complex.

Nonetheless, I have gained the title of Immortal Killer, for killing many immortal beings that are above my own ageless immortality, where they can revive themselves with just a drop of their own blood.

Well, I just had to use enough [Ki] to the point that even not a single drop of blood would remain, killing that immortal in the process. Which wasn't unheard of, but very rare to happen.

Now, more immortals started hunting me down to gain access to the [Black Heaven & Earth Style] upon learning that it has the power to kill immortal beings, even those that gained the top-ranked immortality.

Nonetheless, this didn't stop me from continuing to develop my Martial Arts. As I know there are other Martial Arts stronger than mine. So, I need to continue until I reach the peak.

* * *

 **Year 7,000: I'm Not There Yet**

* * *

6000 years. That's how long it took me to kill 50% of the immortals in Murim. Now, the remaining 25% went into hiding, hoping that someone among them could kill me before revealing themselves back in Murim. While the other 25% continue to chase after me, where the 25% didn't have anything stopping them from entering a life and death fights.

I became one of the most wanted criminals in the Murim.

No longer able to enter any nearby cities without leading to an army trying to stall me long enough for the other immortals to come after me.

I wasn't at the point, where I can take a squadron of powerful immortal Martial Artists yet. So, I would always escape right away, not that these mortals could stop me.

Also, during these years I have to relearn how to cook my own meal by hunting down wild animals around me or just rob others for their supply of food.

* * *

 **Year 50,000: Battle Manic**

* * *

New immortals have started rising as someone discovered the long forgotten methods to create the immortal pills. But, require very rare materials to do so. Turning this into the era of immortals.

Therefore, those immortals that I sent into hiding. Have started revealing themselves, and teamed up with the remaining leftover immortals that continue to chase after up to now.

Of course, this excited me, not scare me. Seeing how new Martial Artists will rise and will give me the challenge I needed, to continue improving my Martial Arts.

Even if I had developed to the point of taking on a team of 8 powerful immortals by myself. That doesn't mean I have reached the point of facing an army of powerful immortals.

* * *

 **Year 100,000: Era of Hatred**

* * *

Nowadays; it wouldn't be shocking to see the immortals walking among mortals. However, thanks to the immortal pills created over the time. A new barrier has created between everyone, where in the past, all non-Martial Artists are weakling.

Now, it has become to the point of almost all immortal looking down on non-immortal beings, causing the mortals to hate the immortals. Making some of the new immortals to create a faction, to hunt down the previous generation of immortals.

Leading this to the end of the era of immortal, and entering the era of hatred. Where everyone will fight each other to the bitter end.

This shocked me for a short while until I continue what I did. Fight. Fight until no one can defeat me.

* * *

 **Year 1,000,000: Come, Come, And Fight Me!**

* * *

At this point, I can't even remember my own Mother's face. Even her name is long forgotten. Even her diary has long been turned into dust through time. The only things I can remember my Mother by is the name she has given to me, my first name and allowing me to know my family's name: Tendou. Along with the [Black Heaven & Earth Style].

By now, I have gained the title: The Ancient One. As the new generation of immortals has killed the leftover immortals of the previous generation. Leaving me to the only one left.

Of course, there were a few powerful ones that could easily take care of the new generation of immortals.

However, it was thanks to me, that I have hunted them down to continue developing my Martial Arts.

So, I'm all that's left of the older generation of immortals and the one that faces the entire Murim by myself. Not like I haven't been by myself this entire time.

I continue to fight, and fight, and fight, until I'm the only one left on this mountain of corpses.

* * *

 **Year 300,000,000: Any Challenge At All?**

* * *

I've already realized at some point, that the resources that the world provide to us will soon be at the point, those common herbs back in my time as a mortal Martial Artist will be a treasure at this time period.

The era of hatred had ended when I have reached the point of taking on an army of immortal Martial Artists on my own, without resting for years.

Now, it becomes the era of mortal once more. As there are no longer new immortal every single year like last time. Seeing how many people have long overused the resource this world has to offer us.

So for the time being, there will be only rare cases of new immortal, but by then, they are likely to be killed by those remaining immortals that rule of a territory and will kill those that have even the potential of overthrowing them.

Or I would end up hunting them down to see if they are any challenge at all. Of course, I could have left them alive to wait for them to get stronger, but I didn't. Seeing how I tried that many times already and I still end up killing them.

Therefore, I would wait in a hundred years or so, to see if they even have the potential to fight later on after they grow up to the point of giving me a challenge. If not, I would just kill them and toss it up on them being lucky to get their hands on some methods to become immortal.

* * *

 **Year 1,000,000,000: Not All Memories Survives**

* * *

I have seen kingdoms rise and fall, even some of the immortals that have a worldly desire, like ruling over others are killed off at some point, either by a fellow immortal or by some methods that could kill immortals.

The world of Murim continues on; Martial Artists over the entire world continue to develop their Martial Arts, and prove themselves they are the top of everyone. A never ending of repeats.

Among the immortals, there are very few compared to the time when I was still mortal.

I tried to return back to my birthplace. Sadly, the place I used to grow up is long gone. I can't even find it anywhere now. Even the Tendou's main home has ceased to exist as well.

I continue on fighting, and fighting, as that's all I know at this point. The only thing I can remember is to make the [Black Heaven & Earth Style] the strongest Martial Arts there is. That no other Martial Arts could face it. And my own name.

I can no longer remember why I must continue on this endless path of mine. All I know is that I must continue moving forward.

I had no desire of teaching my family's [Forbidden Martial Arts] to strangers. Even if they offer the most valuable treasures for just learning the basics.

I just send them off, rejecting them all. Some even tried to threaten me when they thought I was some ordinary Martial Artist. Well, they end up being killed by just a blast of my [Ki].

Then those people's families came for revenge, but like those before them. They also lost their lives to me.

Then the next, and the next, until friends and allies involved themselves into this as well. By then, no one remains, and causing some immortals to look for me, but upon finding out who I was. They ran off with their tail between their legs.

I no longer had any desire to chase after them. As it's very rare to find any challenge. If there was any, then it would the new opponent will only last for a few seconds at best before dying by my hands.

* * *

 **Year Unknown: I Lost Track of Time**

* * *

A clear mind, and a silent and serene heart.

This mantra continues to stay with me along with the other things I did my best to remember forever.

A clear mind, and a silent and serene heart.

I continue using this mantra to stop myself from being affected by the negative emotions or any emotions at all.

I have reached my goal and made my Martial Arts the best under Heaven itself.

Then, I had this one small idea that crazy enough to be my new goal.

Seeing how the [Black Heaven & Earth Style] became the number 1 under the Heaven. Why not go against the Heaven itself as well, and make it the strongest Martial Arts that surpass anything that the Heaven could come up with?

Making the [Black Heaven & Earth Style] a Heaven-defying level Martial Arts.

I knew this was a foolish goal, but I needed something to help me continue to moving forward and develop my Martial Arts.

I started exploring the world, to see if there any methods to enter the Heaven Realm.

I lost track of time. But, I heard someone accidentally found a pathway to an unknown realm.

I have no idea if this was the entrance to the Heaven Realm, but I took my chance. After all, my body has long developed to the point, where it's the toughest thing in this world. Even lava can't melt my skin, but I didn't test my luck in drinking the lava.

It took some time, but I have found it after having to go through many things to get me here. Well, it may be a lot to others, but for me, it may as well be just a simple walk.

Then again, the concept of time is kind of bad somewhat, with how I lost track of how old I am.

Anyway, while on this travel to the passage to the Heaven Realm. I started working on my Martial Arts in a different approach. Where instead of aiming to kill everything in my path.

I wanted to see if I could make it possible to use it to protect others as a way to see if I could develop my Martial Arts even further while restricted by having to protect someone or something from being attacked by others.

So, I delay my travel to the passage for a bit; well, to me a bit is just a bit, but for a mortal. It would be decades or even longer. Which I may have lost track of time while developing my Martial Arts to be able to face multiple enemies while protecting.

Took some time, for me, but I managed to get it the level I deem enough for me to resume my travel to the hidden passage to the Heaven Realm.

And I never knew it protecting is a lot harder than killing. Who knew? Well, even at my old age. You'll learn something new once in a while.

Now, that's out of the way. I've already arrived at the location where I heard the rumor about the passage to the Heaven Realm. No clue if it's true or not, but I'm taking my chances with it.

However, I took my chance just to see if it's truth or not. And boy did it take some time for me to get to the location, which happens to be inside a forest of all things.

Then again, the forest I'm entering is among the most dangerous in Murim, with this forest being called the Entrance to the Underworld from what the nearby folks told me when I asked for the directions.

At this point, I didn't care if this passage leads me to the Heaven Realm or the Hell Realm. As long I get a challenge to continue to improve my Martial Arts and make it the strongest there is. I'm fine either way. I just have to find another way to enter the other realm.

Of course, there was someone tagging along with me after a few decades ago. And it just happens to be one of the people I protected while I was using a different training method by defending at all time instead of going in the offensive.

Mikumo Kushinada is a curvaceous and very well-endowed woman who appears to be in her mid 20's. She has long waist length black hair, wears an open kimono to show off her bosom, and usually wears a wooded bead necklace around her neck.

Also, she is a fellow ageless immortal, and a genius in Martial Arts and that's saying something when it comes to me.

She literally managed to learn to recreate a few of my [Black Heaven & Earth's Techniques]. Mostly with the [Earth Rebellion's Techniques] than the other ones.

Of course, I didn't stop her from trying to recreate my own [Techniques]. As others did the same in the past, but almost all of them died from doing something stupid. Like trying to use one of the dangerous [Techniques] I created for the [Black Heaven & Earth Style].

By almost, I mean that Mikumo is the only one that managed to survive and learn a few of my [Techniques]. Also, she came up a method to prevent her from aging.

Did I mention that Mikumo is a genius in Martial Arts? Well, that and she a genius in medicines related subjects as well. So, yeah, Mikumo became an ageless immortal through her own effort instead of taking an immortal pill like I did in the past.

Now, you are thinking, why didn't I fight her if she such a genius to manage to recreate a few of my [Techniques] and figure out her own method to become the same type of immortality as me?

I do, in fact, fight her daily, and she improving at a rate that makes other immortal beings jealous of her talent.

Also, let just say, Mikumo helped me in more than one way that I could have known, even with the experience I have gained as an immortal.

Furthermore, the fact that she among the very few that survive on using my [Techniques] and last against me for an entire minute after learning [Techniques] she wanted from me and face me while using them afterward, to test her version against mine.

End result: she only lasted for a minute. Way better than the other immortals, that has more experience than her, but unlike them, she lasted an entire minute while they only lasted for a few seconds or less, and with me going easy on them. Same with Mikumo, but still managed to last longer than others.

No way was I'm going to kill her off, because she is the first one to do what many can't in this present era.

One: She did something that's impossible for others and successfully did.

Two: She can last against me an entire minute in a fight, even if it's just me using a few basic moves while limiting myself from not using any [Ki].

Three: She tricked me into making her, my wife. Shamefully enough, that I married someone that was a mortal before she became an immortal herself. But, I have some bit of honor in me to keep this vow. As long she don't betray me, then it's fine.

Not to mention how excited I am when the time comes where Mikumo arrives at my level. No matter how long I have to wait. After all, both of us got all the time in the world.

What? I should kill Mikumo for tricking me into marriage? Yeah, I honestly don't care if I get tricked or not. I have met many people, male or female, all the same to me. Hell, there were a few females, mortal or immortal, that tried the same thing like Mikumo. But, all of them failed and didn't have the same qualifications as Mikumo.

Yeah, being a bit biased, but who cares? I got a wife that has the same potential as I am.

Arrogance? Get to my level and defeat me! I'll accept it with a smile on my face as you kill me! Prove to me that you're nothing like me! Prove to me, you've surpassed me, then I'll find my own way to come back to life and find you, so we shall fight again!

This is what I continue to say to many decreased enemies whenever they ask the same questions to me about how Mikumo stayed with me and was taught by me. Again, I didn't teach anything, she recreated it on her own effort. I didn't do anything. Not even giving out pieces of advice on how to use those [Techniques].

So, I may have got a bit annoyed by the same questions being asked, to the point, I could recite the answers in order, word by word, by now.

Even Mikumo found this amusing, which is something rare as Mikumo is mostly emotionless. Which she believes keeping emotions in control is important for battle and that losing one's temper will dull one's skills.

Very true in some way, in fact, I even follow this as well by using my mantra. Who knew this was one of the main reasons why she tricked me into marrying her. Oh, sure, there love involved, after I relearned the whole concept of love again, from Mikumo of all people before she became emotionless after learning my mantra.

Also, learning to trust Mikumo after the multiple times she saved my life when I didn't know it at the time, but was mainly a useless effort on Mikumo's end. As I built up a resistance enough to counter all the things that can kill me over the years of my immortal life.

So, I guess it's kind of my fault for making Mikumo into an emotionless person, temporarily that is. At some time, there are rare moments Mikumo will show emotions, and it would be mostly related to me.

Now, instead of a single person heading into a new realm by themselves. I got a wife, still a bit of shocked that I got married and it took who knows how long before it took Mikumo, to force herself onto me after finding out I have close to no experience in love.

In a way to thank me for protecting her and giving her the chance to learn Martial Arts, even if it just a few basics needs to know, like how to use [Ki]. And it only took a few years to realize that those so-called basics need to know were something only my era knew, while the ones in this present era require external methods to be able to control their own [Ki] and manipulate them.

Now, it's just Mikumo and me, heading to the Heaven Realm or Hell Realm, either way, both of us are heading to the point of no return.

Mikumo is willing to follow me to the deepest of hell itself after what we have been through together. I can't say the same, but I'm getting there.

Therefore, Heaven or Hell, Meng Tendou and Mikumo Kushinada are coming your way! Prepare for the fight of your life!


	2. Arc 1 - Chapter 1: What's Going On?

Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is purely a fanfic for enjoyment.

Cross-over from various games, books, anime, manga, and movies.

The familiar characters you see here belong to their respected authors and owners.

 _'Thoughts'_

"Speech"

Time*

 **Noise***

(Location)

* * *

 **Arc 1 - Chapter 1: What's Going On?**

(Unknown Forest)

"Are you sure this is the right place? Remember, you were following rumors this entire time." Mikumo said to her husband, as she looks around the area for anything that hostile towards them.

"Should be, if not, we can just hunt down a few animals to eat, seeing how we're low on food." I replied to Mikumo, which I wished that I managed to learn that [Ki-Space Technique], where I can create my own pocket dimension to store my things.

Would have saved me lots of trouble. But, that's [Technique] is long gone and even after travel almost everywhere. I can't even find a book on it and all I know is that back in my era, before becoming an immortal.

There were still a few rare people knowing this [Technique], but are long dead and I didn't know about it until it was too late for me to get my hand on it.

Can't even recreate something I have no idea, to begin with. If I manage to get some kind of hint on how the [Ki-Space Technique] work, then with enough time, I should be able to recreate my own version.

"Well, at least I get to enjoy your cooking while we're out here in the wildness." Mikumo let out a tired sigh, but continue to look on the bright side.

I let a small smile on my face, that Mikumo have talents in Martial Arts and medical related subjects, along with a few other things. But, cooking? She has zero talent in it.

Luckily, other than my Martial Arts, I've improved my own skills in cooking, to the point I would have to say no being in Murim, be it mortal or immortal, would surpass my skills in cooking.

After all, being alone and wanted dead most of the time made me have to work on my survival skills, this includes cooking if I wanted to continue being alive and work on my Martial Arts.

Yeah, being an ageless immortal is great and all, but that doesn't mean I can live without food and water.

It's a good thing Mikumo know how to create water out of thin air. Still, don't know how she does that, and she wasn't willing to teach me, seeing how I wouldn't teach her the [Black Heaven & Earth Style].

Nonetheless, at least having Mikumo with me, I won't die from lack of water. That would be sad and very shameful for me to die from lack of food and water, where I have survived all these times, but killed by something like this? Yeah, not happening if I can help it.

It was very hard for me to find a drinkable water source in Murim while I was alone. There were many times I almost died from lack of water, more than I could count as my immortal life. Now, with Mikumo, the water problem is solved. Thank for the small mercy.

"There's that too, I guess." I replied to Mikumo, wondering if this just one of the reasons why Mikumo forces herself onto me.

Of course, if anyone asked how she forced herself onto me; well, it's more of she outwit me in many subjects unrelated to Martial Arts, then at the end, Mikumo took it as her duty to help me regain back my humanity.

The irony in this, seeing how I almost took her's away in the process.

And Mikumo accepted this as an equal exchange to being with me, really wished I knew about this so-called: equivalent exchange beforehand, when I was dealing with Mikumo.

"You do realize we've been here for weeks now right? Maybe the rumors were false?" Mikumo didn't want to deny the chance of her husband's dream, no matter how she finds this idea of making the [Black Heaven & Earth Style] a Heaven-defying level Martial Arts. As many have tried and failing, but very, very rare, people managed to do so, but afterward, they're dead some time later upon successful doing what others can't.

Of course, as a loving wife as she is; Mikumo is willing to go against the Heaven itself along with her husband. It took her a thousand years just to get her own husband to speak with her more than a few words, an entire sentence or two if she's lucky enough.

Mikumo has given up lots of things to be with her husband, even if it's forceful at her end. Like her Mother always said, you just have to keep trying until you successfully got what you want, unless someone dares try to get in your way, then get rid of them.

"Yeah, but at least we have something to do unlike some of the remaining immortals. Most of the time; they just end up wasting away their life by doing lots of things that bound to get them killed or trying to raise their Clan up to the top against others in a way to measure their prestige throughout Murim." I explained to Mikumo, that unlike most people, who fight for the prestige of their Clan or Sect.

I, on the hand, only want to make the [Black Heaven & Earth Style] the strongest. No need to care about what others think, as I let the fight speak for itself. Going for all actions and less talking.

"Also, don't get far away from me or you may end up somewhere that would take me a couple of days to get to, even with using [Ki-Enhance] to increase my speed." I said to Mikumo, who just nod at me, understanding about how close we're to reaching the passage.

It's funny how Mikumo has many talents, and zero talent in cooking, but there one thing that about her that made things very interesting and made me accept her.

Somehow, Mikumo's family is cursed to have no sense of direction whatsoever. In fact, to make this curse even more dangerous compared to other curses.

As Mikumo's family curse have the ability to traverse obscene distances in surprisingly little time on foot. This, combined with Mikumo's complete lack of direction, results in her having essentially no idea where she is at any given time, which allows her to miss her destinations by insane margins.

So yeah, if Mikumo doesn't keep her eyes on me and just walk on her own, then she will likely be somewhere on the side of the world or maybe in hidden locations, that shouldn't be possible to enter by no mean without require using a specific method.

In a way; Mikumo can bring both of us to a giant battle going on or to a place where some decreased immortal left behind an inheritance for others to grab. But, require going through trials to get them.

However, for Mikumo, she would sometime able to bypass these trials and reach to the end, to claim the inheritance by just walking to it in a few minutes. Which we did many times just for the heck of it while I was still working on my Martial Arts in protecting others than killing.

So for a while, both Mikumo and I continue to wander around the forest, to see anything that may lead us to the Heaven Realm, or any realm at this point. But, if possible, I would like to be the Heaven Realm.

That was until we found something very alarming. In the middle of the forest, if I can guess correctly, is some sort of weird giant white crystal made out some kind of materials that neither Mikumo or I could tell, and that's saying some with our experiences.

"Well, I can put this as another thing I haven't seen before in Murim. Man, the world has lots of things to offer, huh, Mikumo?" I said to Mikumo, who find this white crystal interesting.

"Even being an immortal, no one would be able to discover all there is in Murim. After all, even if you technically can, but as time continues to flow, then new things or old things will resurface into the world. So, in a way, no one, not even an immortal that focus on being an explorer for the entire immortal life would be able to record all the Murim could offer." Mikumo replied, knowing this is just one of the many things the world has to offer, for those that seek it.

Before we could even start figuring out what this white crystal is. When it suddenly lights up, brightening the entire forest.

On pure reflex, both Mikumo and I create a [Ki-Barrier] around ourselves, to defense against whatever the white crystal is about to do.

(Unknown Desert)

Once the light dies out; neither Mikumo or I could figure out what just happen. Because we're no longer in the forest and now we're in some desert.

The first thing we did was to use our [Ki-Sense] to find any life form nearby, just to be sure, as the desert may not be part of Murim. As we've been in many pocket dimensions created by ancient decreased immortals and most of the time, there will be close to zero living in those pocket dimensions.

After a few seconds, we found a group of people that just have a bit more [Ki] than the average mortal back in Murim. So, we may be still in Murim, but neither Mikumo or I have dismissed the idea we've already left Murim for a new world.

So, we quickly rush toward the group of people, if they're people that are.

I made sure to match Mikumo's speed while she following me, along with locking onto my [Ki], so she won't end up lost.

A few minutes later*

Looking at the group of humanoid people, with animal features, like animal ears, eyes, even tail, are fighting off some sort of black animal-like creature that doesn't contain a single drop of [Ki].

"Well, it looks like we're no longer in Murim that for sure." I thought out loud, as we watch the battle going on with these people using some sort of weapons like those bows, but made out of metal and firing some sort of projectile.

"I think that white crystal teleported us to place, wherever we are." Mikumo said to me. "Also, they may be human using some kind of [Techniques] that turn a part of their parts as animals."

I nod my head in agreement with my wife. No need to dismiss this idea.

"Should we go help them?" I ask Mikumo, seeing how I kind of lost most of my social skills than I realized until Mikumo try her best to fix this, but end up failing 90% of the time. When most of my focus continues to be on my Martial Arts.

So, I don't know if we should join in the fight or not, as this may be some kind of test they're going through as an entry test to a Sect around this area.

"I would say we should, as this would be a good way to get them to see us as friendly instead of hostile. After all, we're in an unknown territory of a powerful immortal, god, demon, whatever the race is in this realm." Mikumo replied to my questions, as she the first one to move and already appear in the middle of the battlefield, where the animal people are shocked to see Mikumo appear out of nowhere, then shocked, even more, when Mikumo killed off all the black creatures with just a few blasts of her [Ki].

In fact, Mikumo almost used the [Thousand Year Throw], which is where she projecting her [Ki] and releasing it all at once. Mikumo is able to not only intensify it to its highest level, but is able to concentrate it into the form of a gigantic white silhouette of the user.

Almost being the key word, when Mikumo held herself back when she notices how fragile these creatures were and easy to kill with just one attack from her.

I was about to head over when I notice how some of these people are still wary of Mikumo. Making me raise an eyebrow at this when Mikumo literally just killed off the enemies for them, but they don't look grateful at all.

Not wanting Mikumo to face this alone, even if she can, I appear next to Mikumo still, shocking the animal people further upon seeing me appeared as well.

One of the animal people, who happen to have looked less like an animal, and lack the animal parts somewhere around his body. But, he maybe has claws, who know, as it's visible. But, he is a bit hairy. But, he is tall, and have a muscular body, with yellow eyes.

He has a short beard and wearing an open dark violet vest that shows his chest. A pair of long, extended fingerless gloves that reach his upper arms, beige pants, and brown leather boots.

"Thank you for the help, but we wish to know why you, human, came to Menagerie?" The more human look like man asks us a question, with a wary look on his face that matches the other behind him.

"I'll leave this to you." I said to Mikumo, as I wasn't the best to speak with others. As most of the times, it would lead to results of.

One: Many threats directed at me.

Two: People continue to beg me before I leave without a care or killing them off.

Three: We end up fighting, with me finishing them off without much effort on my end.

Mostly these three are the results of me talking to others. And Mikumo was the only very rare one that didn't end in any of those three.

Just as I was about to take a few steps back for Mikumo, to have a small private talk with the person, that may be the leader of this group of people.

A giant shadow burst behind Mikumo and me, where it lets out an earthshaking roar.

This caused a few of the animal people to fall in the desert, while some managed to keep their balance without falling, but barely for a few ones before the unlucky one follows the first group's example and fall in the desert as well.

"A [Horned Viper]! Why would one show up here?!" One of the animal people cried out in terror, making Mikumo and me a little unfamiliar of the name for this creature, which is very big.

Almost 200 meters high in the sky, and it looks like more of a giant snake and have the same color pattern as those black creatures, Mikumo just killed.

A giant snake with black skin, and two white horns on top of its head, with red eyes that seem to glow a little.

Once it finishes its earthshaking roar; I launch my attack right away. By channeling a good amount of [Ki] into my right fist while rotating the [Ki] to give it an extra force.

Using [Gate Annihilate Strike] directed at the [Horned Viper]'s lower body, with a fast strike instead of aiming for its head, which would require me a bit of time to reach before landing my attack. So it's better to attack from the ground, where I could still attack.

The [Gate Annihilate Strike] is a [Ki-Strike Technique], and that belongs to the [Black Heaven & Earth Style], with a whirlwind like an effect that sends the [Horned Viper] blast off from the ground flying, while whirling around in a spiral pattern.

Not a few seconds later, the [Horned Viper] exploded, showing everyone that the [Horned Viper] is killed right away before it could even do any harm, or worse, killing someone among us. By us, I mean those animal people.

I look back and see all the disbelief expressions on all those animal people's faces. Letting all those that see it, that none of them could please how easily I took care of that [Horned Viper] with a single attack.

"I'll be honest. I thought it would survive a few more of my attacks." I mumble to Mikumo, who nodded her head in agreement, causing those shocked animal people to look at me with a pale face now.

Realizing that I could dish out more than just that [Gate Annihilate Strike]. Even if the strongest [Ki-Strike Technique] in the [Black Heaven & Earth Style], but it no longer is. Thanks to the [Heaven Destruction's Techniques] and [Earth Rebellion's Techniques] I created, with both surpassing almost all the [Techniques] already created for the [Black Heaven & Earth Style].

"So, you wish to know why we came to Menagerie, was it?" Mikumo didn't care how freaked out these people are. This could be a good thing for her, so may as well take advantage of it and use this to help her get some answers of this realm.

A few days later*

(Unknown Continent)

So far, Mikumo and I are baffled at what we have discovered of this realm.

One: This is neither the Heaven Realm or Hell Realm.

Two: There are three main species in this realm. Grimm being the largest population in this realm. With Human and Faunus being in the middle second. With the non-Grimm animals as the third species.

Three: People here rely more on weapons than Martial Arts, with Martial Arts used as a support to increase the fighting power of the weapons.

Four: People here use this energy from the soul, which is [Aura] instead of [Ki]. Where [Aura] unlock these special [Semblance], that seems like a Clan's [Bloodline Ability].

Five: People use these materials, that possess [Elemental Energy], known as [Dust], to fight the Grimm, and among themselves as well.

Six: Instead of Martial Artists, that use [Ki], or any other professions back in Murim. Here, they have [Huntsmen] and [Huntresses] that trained in using their [Aura], weapons, and even their [Semblance] if they unlock it in their lives.

The Grimm are described as "creatures of destruction" and lack a soul; hence, they are unable to use [Aura]. They are also drawn to the feeling of negativity-such as envy, sadness, loneliness, and hatred-often congregating towards the source of these emotions.

While Grimm is initially mindless and heedless of risk during their youths, leading them to simply attack any humans/faunus on sight, some Grimm are so powerful that they have survived to live for hundreds of years. In that time, they will evolve and learn from their experiences fighting humanity.

This leads them to exhibit restraint and the patience to avoid taking unnecessary casualties in futile conflicts; instead, they stay close to humanity's borders, waiting for the opportunity to come where they can finally strike. Because of this, mankind is in ever-present danger, even in times of apparent peace. Furthermore, some of these Grimm will gain intelligent at some level as time went by.

Additionally, the Grimm appears to be the predominant species in this realm as humans and faunus appear to be limited to four primary pocket settlements referred to as Kingdoms, which are guarded by these [Huntsmen], as well as several villages with mixed success. Attempts by the Kingdoms to expand beyond their borders are often met with resistance and even failure.

So after learning these from the Faunus, which we found out that they were born like this. A race of human-animal hybrids. Where they have an inborn ability: [Night-Vision]. No matter what type of animals they are, all have [Night-Vision].

When I comment on how envious I was of Faunus for having [Night-Vision] and inborn weapons from certain animals, like tiger faunus, that have sharp claws and other dangerous faunus in different environments.

All the Faunus looked at me like I'm some new species that they just first lay their eyes on. No clue why this, but I got the feeling my single comment about wanting to be born as a Faunus may have placed us in a good position with these faunus.

Over the few days; Mikumo and I did our share of helping out around the place once we returned back to the main city: Kuo Kuana.

But, both Mikumo and I learned that it was best for me to stay outside the main city. Seeing how my [Dark Intimidating Aura], even when I tried my best to suppress it to the very limit. It was enough to draw all nearby Grimm toward my location.

This is why the [Horned Viper] appeared out of nowhere. It was tracking me down, due to my [Dark Intimidating Aura]. Not this realm: [Aura], but the aura formed by practicing the [Black Heaven & Earth Style].

So, I can only enter the Kuo Kuana for a few hours before having to leave. As Grimm would gather around, which Mikumo and I have taken care of before they become a problem for the Faunus.

Another thing was that killing Grimm with [Ki] would kill them easier than using [Dust] or bladed weapons. Well, if I were to change [Ki] into a [Yin Energy], then the Grimm would disappear right away for some reasons, while [Yang Energy] would just deal the same damage as normal [Ki].

Neither Mikumo or I could even understand how to use these so-called: guns. Really wonder how they advanced in technology so well. Then again, back in Murim, most people would focus on Martial Arts than in technology.

The mortal has advanced in technology in my time as an immortal, but not much, as the remaining leftover immortals would destroy these technologies as they see them as a threat to their ruling. No clue why, but I just toss it up as some of these immortals have some weird quirks that related to technology or something.

Anyway, I have zero talent in using any guns. While Mikumo is a complete natural in using any firearms, which the Faunus informed just saying guns wasn't the right term or something.

Either way, Mikumo show remarkable talent in using any type of firearms and could shoot down the target from a distance at any positions and moving as well.

In fact, it only took Mikumo just a few hours to master all the firearms available for her to use at the time. By at the time, I meant like around an hour or less for Mikumo to be so skillful at using each firearm, to the point, she out skilled some of those experts in using it.

And if she is given enough time, some of the faunus that left this place for the other continent. Would say Mikumo would even beat veteran [Huntsmen] that specialize in shooting from a distance.

Afterward, both Mikumo and I left as it's best not to stay around any longer. With the way, the Grimm continues to show up more often than they should. And the Faunus are already crowded in their only City.

Now, both Mikumo and I are heading to the only unknown continent that seems to be the shape of a dragon. Which is part of the continent Sanus, that contain the Kingdoms of Vale and Vacuo.

But, this is a dragon shape continent is considered a separate part of Sanus from what the people told us.

So, we head here first as it's known to be as the continent of Grimm. Seeing how it's the only continent that filled with so many powerful Grimm. It would be almost impossible to travel on land, with flying just a bit safer. Just a bit only, as it's still very dangerous in the air, where flying type Grimm will attack.

And with the Continent of Grimm filled with powerful Grimm. Then, those flying type Grimm would easily take down any flying vehicles.

Of course, it would take months to reach this continent, but for someone like Mikumo and me. Using [Ki] alone would allow us to travel impossible distance in so little time.

Well, this would have taken us a week or longer to reach, but it only took a couple of hours when we got lost and Mikumo was to lead us instead of myself.

And Mikumo's curse acted up right away and we appeared in a location filled with a massive amount of powerful Grimm surrounding us the moment we found ourselves in a barren wasteland, with rocky terrain and enormous purple crystals sprouting from the ground. The sky is stained a dark red, pools of a viscous, tar-like substance everywhere, that seem to spawn more Grimm.

It took some time, but we fought our way into a location, that seems to be a castle of some kind.

Now, I still have my goal of entering the Heaven Realm, but this Remnant Realm, which both Mikumo and I decided to call it. Since the people here don't know if the continents that have been recorded are the only land in this world.

Currently, Mikumo and I are carefully walking toward the castle's entrance, while keeping our guards up. As [Ki-Sense] is completely useless in this place, where these Grimm don't contain any [Ki]. Not even the [Yin Energy], which is used by the spiritual beings in Murim.

Once we've made it to the giant gate, where we find it already open for anyone to enter. But, neither Mikumo or I would fall for the idea this been like this for a long time and that someone, that own this castle, has opened it before they have arrived.

In fact, we got the feeling whoever live in this place filled with these dangerous Grimm must be powerful as well. If not, even more, powerful than all the Grimm nearby put together.

45 minutes later*

(Continent: Grimmland: Unknown Castle)

Almost an hour of walking around this castle; we have found what should be the main room for a meeting or the throne room. It could be either two as there are many times Mikumo and I had to attend some stupid meeting among immortals, and the meeting would usually take place in a large room that could act as a throne room for an Emperor.

So the moment we enter the throne-like room. We discovered there is a person already in this room and could be the owner of this castle.

Now usually I would just think this person as a neutral gender until I find out their real gender is, but the person almost has the same exact figure as Mikumo, but her breasts are a bit smaller than Mikumo. So the person's gender is female; well, that's what I could tell by the body shape.

As the person, I'm going to have to think if this being is a person in the first place. Seeing how the person's skin is deathly pallor, covered with deep red and purple veins that run her arms and face. The sclerae of her eyes are jet black and her irises glow red. She has a black diamond-shaped marking in the center of her forehead.

She wears a very long black robe with red designs resembling eyes. Not that it would hide that body figure of her's. She also wears a ring resembling an insect on her right index finger. She has white hair formed into a bun with six offshoots from which ornaments are suspended.

"Welcome to my castle, challengers. Honestly, I expected the male to show up only and alone. But, I'll allow this, as it has been a long time I have visitors from my domain. I'm Salem. Now, are you ready for the final trial before grabbing your reward?" Salem welcome Mikumo and me, and look a bit too eager at seeing me here.

"Challengers?" Mikumo asked Salem, who look back at Mikumo with a small confusion flick through her glowing red eyes.

"Yes, challengers. Isn't this why you two are here? You have already completed almost all the tasks before coming here, for the final task. One: You have defeated an ancient Grimm by yourself. Two: Travel to this continent and defeat all the Grimm without being touched once upon arriving at the Evernight Castle. And now the final task. Which I will personally give you." Salem explained how Mikumo and I have already finished two of the three tasks.

Salem continues off without waiting for anyone to speak up, "The final task is for either of you two, to defeat me. Until I said the words: I surrender and being on my hands and knees at the same time. You can try anything to make me do this, either bring an army at me now or any methods you can come up with."

"Uh, what's the prize for finishing this last task?" I'm a little curious about what we would get if we were to finish the last task.

"You get to marry me and become the King of this land." Salem replied with a face of pride, believing we should be an honor to be marrying her.

I had no idea what the hell is going on anymore. This does not seem like something I would expect upon coming here.

* * *

 **Author Note: Uploading this now while I still have Wifi. Better now than later and end up forgetting about this. Also, for those that wonder about my schedule for posting my fanfics. It will be the same as before, with this fanfic being just random updates whenever I feel like it.**

 **And I may post up new fanfics too, just because I have some ideas I wanted to upload later on to see how it goes. Like this fanfic. Just wanted to get off my chest before I end up straying away from my 2 main fanfics.**

 **Wish me luck on surviving without wifi soon!**


	3. Arc 1 - Chapter 2: A Quick Grab And Go

Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is purely a fanfic for enjoyment.

Cross-over from various games, books, anime, manga, and movies.

The familiar characters you see here belong to their respected authors and owners.

 _'Thoughts'_

"Speech"

Time*

 **Noise***

(Location)

* * *

 **Arc 1 - Chapter 2: A Quick Grab And Go**

(Continent: Grimmland: Salem's Castle)

"Can we decline this?" Mikumo ask Salem, clearly not wanting her husband marrying to someone that seems... off?

"Sure, you can. You just have to promise not to help anyone to come here and fulfill the last condition for the others. Seeing how you already fulfilled two out of the three tasks. Otherwise, you could have helped the other candidates if you only did the first task only." Salem replied in a calm voice, seem like she expected this. Like it happens to her multiple times in the past.

"Quick question. Is there currently anyone trying to get your hand in marriage?" I asked out of pure curiosity than anything else.

Mikumo raises an eyebrow at me, but didn't comment on this. As she knew that I wouldn't want to marry this Salem person, who we could clearly feel her being so weak, that just blasting her with our [Ki] would destroy her in seconds.

Salem tilts her head to the side, as she thinks about her latest and still alive, that pursuing to marry her.

"There are many, but I can't seem to remember all of them as they are mostly dead by now. I do happen to know the latest one, who goes by the name of Ozpin. I kind of curse him with a type of immortality due to him being the last hundreds of years. Kind of make thing lonely, so I made him immortal, giving him all the time to find a way to fulfill the last condition to marry me." Salem gives us a smile, looking a bit happy to have someone to continue working hard to marry her.

"Okay then. Do you know anything about the Heaven Realm or Hell Realm?" Mikumo ask Salem, seeing how neither herself or her husband rather not fight Salem, which won't be much of a fight, to be honest.

May as well ask for a way to get to the Heaven and Hell Realms instead.

"Not that I know of. If you were asking for the Nature Realm, then I know where the entrance is, but I would warn you that, thanks to the people in this world had caused Mother Nature's wrath to occur. So, I wouldn't go there right now until a [Fate Soul] is born to correct the world back to the state before the mortals have corrupted the planet in the past." Salem informs Mikumo and me about how she doesn't know about the Heaven and Hell Realms, but she does know a Nature Realm.

It easily for everyone tells what kind of realm, it is by the name of it.

"Do you need to go to the Natura Realm for anything, because I don't." I ask my wife, who thought about it for a few seconds before shaking her head. Letting me know she has no reason to head to the Nature Realm.

"Do you know anyone that has any information on how to enter the Heaven or Hell Realms?" Mikumo ask Salem, who didn't even need to think about it like last time and answer right away.

"I have a friend who I met after my experience in the Nature Realm. Who should know? Oh, wait. I think she died a couple years ago. Hmm. I think you could use one of the [Four Relics] to find your answer." Salem was about to tell us who her friend is, that has the answer to our request until Salem just remember that friend of hers is likely to be dead by now.

Of course, Salem is mostly thinking about someone killing her friend than die a natural way, like dying from old age or died from a disease that's incurable. And seeing how Salem could gift immortality to others, then it's likely someone killed Salem's friend is the possible answer.

"And what are these [Four Relics], you speak of?" Mikumo is a little interested in these [Four Relics], maybe one of them is a spatial storage artifact, that we really need, with how many time we continue to have to search for food so often.

"The [Four Relics] ties to the [Four Maidens]. I forgot who created them, but I just know they are the personal gears for the [Four Maidens], but others can still use them after fulfilling the conditions to power them without requiring the power of the [Four Maidens]." Salem starts off by explaining how the [Four Relics] are actually personal gears for the [Four Maidens].

The first one being the [Fall Maiden of Choice], with the ability to give her the choice to increase the might of her [Semblance] or reviving someone at the cost of her [Semblance]. Along with the [Relic of Choice], that allows one to see the results of the choices they may pick.

The second is the [Spring Maiden of Knowledge], with the ability to gain complete mastery over their [Semblance], giving her all she needs to know how to use her [Semblance] to the fullest, but if they haven't found out what their [Semblance] is, they are given the ability of foresight as their [Semblance]. This option is given to the [Spring Maiden] either way, but very limited compared to those that gain the [Semblance: Foresight].

Going along with the [Spring Maiden] is the [Relic of Knowledge]. Giving the [Spring Maiden] and others, the ability to ask any questions and they will get their answers, but be warned. They have to be very specific of their questions or they won't get the answers they wanted. This is for those that not the [Spring Maiden] and limited to three questions only instead of being able to ask any amount of questions for a limited of time before entering a cooldown phrase until it recharges enough energy back to reactive for the next questions to be answered.

The third is the [Winter Maiden of Creation], with the ability to create a massive amount of [Dust], but at the cost of their lifespan, making the [Winter Maiden] that is known to have a short lifespan compared to the other [Four Maidens] due to this ability alone.

Of course, the [Winter Maiden] could discard this ability and is able to create weapons made purely out of ice itself. Making the [Winter Maiden] the second strongest out of the [Four Maiden] with this ability alone.

Then, the [Relic of Creation]; giving the [Winter Maiden] the power to copy anything and replicate its creation at the cost of losing one's [Aura] or [Magic]. Where the [Relic of Creation] give one use for other than the [Winter Maiden], while the [Winter Maiden] herself is given two uses before she becomes a normal person, with being the [Winter Maiden] in name only until her death, where a new [Winter Maiden] arise.

Of course, if there was a group of people, then they can continue to use the [Relic of Creation]. Sadly, for those that thought about this. Will fall into despair, as the [Relic of Creation], can't be used once a year. As only the [Winter Maiden] isn't restricted and can use the [Relic of Creation] twice in a row without waiting.

Finally, the [Summer Maiden of Destruction], with the ability to destroy the other's ability to use [Aura], locking away the [Semblance] in the process. Along with [Dust] itself as well. Making the [Summer Maiden] the worse person to face for those that rely on their [Aura] and [Dust] to fight.

The other ability the [Summer Maiden] can choose upon becoming the [Summer Maiden]. Is the ability to amplify their own attacks by many folds at the cost of using up their [Aura] faster. Increase the rate of [Aura] usage in exchange to increase the attack power. Making them a glass cannon.

The [Relic of Destruction] doesn't have many usages, but only a single ability. Making this a last resort and can only be used by the [Summer Maiden] unlike the other [Four Relics], where others than the [Four Maidens] could be used. Restricting to the [Summer Maiden] only. Giving her the ability to turn herself into a giant massive bomb. Destroying everything in a large radius.

The [Relic of Destruction], of course, wouldn't be destroyed, but teleport to a random location in Remnant until the next [Summer Maiden] find it. As all the [Summer Maiden] have the passive ability to locate the [Relic of Destruction] at all time, the moment they became the [Summer Maiden].

As long there is a [Summer Maiden], then the [Relic of Destruction] can be found.

"So, I would think you should find the [Relic of Knowledge] to get your answer. Because I have no other ideas to help you." Salem finished explaining to Mikumo and me about the [Four Maidens] and the [Four Relics].

"Do you happen to know where the [Relic of Knowledge]?" Mikumo ask Salem, seeing how Salem picked the [Relic of Knowledge] to help our situation.

Neither Mikumo and I worry that this is a trap. Since we have our own way to take care of this or we can have Mikumo random walk in a direction, to escape. Worked many times without any fails. That's how strong Mikumo's family curse is.

"It locked in some academy, that Ozpin must have locked away for his usage from what I got back from my minions. So, you may want to find him to get it. I think you require one of the [Four Maidens] to unlock the vault to get the relic." Salem didn't bother to hide anything like she has nothing to lose from this.

In fact, Salem seems and interest for the two before her, to see if they can get the [Four Relics] unlike her minions, who continue to fail to get them.

What? Did you think she doesn't want them for herself? How do you think she learned all about it. It's because she, Salem, has a desire for them and want to use it for her own personal use.

"Anything else? Like the name of the academy that contains the [Relic of Knowledge]?" Mikumo ask Salem, wondering if she has to continue asking question after question, to get the entire answer.

"Nope. I've already helped out beyond I should have. The only reason why I'm doing so, to make sure neither of the two of you would return here too soon in the future." Salem gives Mikumo and me a smile, that seems too calm.

I raise an eyebrow at this; now, I'm curious if Salem found out by now that Mikumo and I could finish her last task, with just by ourselves.

However, I don't feel like staying here any longer. As there wasn't much challenge here, besides learning about important information that is unlikely to be known in the public.

Neither Salem or Mikumo and I said anything for a few minutes before Salem wave her left hand towards us, where the door behind us open up by itself, letting Mikumo and me know that it's time for us to leave.

Seeing as Salem won't be speaking to us any further.

Mikumo and I walk out of the door, where Mikumo took the lead after she grabs my hand, preventing me from losing her.

A few minutes later*

(Unknown Forest)

"Have any idea where we are?" I ask my wife, as we find ourselves in some kind of forest.

We're literally in a castle, then in the next few minutes, we're in a forest now.

Mikumo's family curse is really something, if they can bypass physical walls and restricted areas created by powerful immortals or beings.

"I have no idea, but I sense some people up ahead; they should be these [Huntsmen] and [Huntresses], with their [Ki-Level] being above average than the rest. One of them happens to have more than the rest. Maybe they are the leader of the group or the expert that watching over the group." Mikumo said to me, as she already detected a group of people with high [Ki].

Of course, it isn't really [Ki], but [Aura] we're sensing after having a few faunus back in the Menagerie.

Took a couple tries until both Mikumo and I could sense [Aura] that almost similar to [Ki], but a little too different; however, that's enough for us to learn how to detect other [Energy] that not [Ki].

In a couple of seconds; Mikumo and I appear in an open grass field, where we notice a ruined temple, where we see a group of 8 kids, with 6 females and 2 males.

As we watch one of the girls rushing towards what looks like large Grimm, with an appearance of a scorpion, but with different color patterns and have bone-like armors.

"Should we leave them? Last time, we tried to help someone. They didn't look grateful at all." I ask my wife, seeing how we save those faunus back then, like a couple of days ago. I think.

Kind of hard to keep track of time after spending too long as an immortal.

You tend to forget how to keep track of time after a long time, and I have been alive for who knows how long and I lost count after a billion of years.

"I think we should watch this time. We can't just help everyone we come across. Plus, last time was because we needed information. So, there no need for us to get involved with these kids." Mikumo replied to me, persuading me not to take action and made sure to explain her reason why we shouldn't.

I stare at Mikumo and wonder if she has anything against helping others, then remember how we're in an unfamiliar realm.

The time we helped at Menagerie. Was to get more information without resorting to violence, which may work most of them with certain people, but not all the time and in the result of the victims' death before we get anything out of them.

So, we watch how the group of kids fights off the Grimm, where another large Grimm appeared, this time it was a giant bird of some kind, causing the group of 8 to split into 4s, where one took care of the other large Grimm in teamwork.

What Mikumo and I gathered so far. The one we thought with a large amount of [Aura] was an expert until we realize the kid just possess above average [Aura Reserve]. Seeing how we can see how experienced the other 7 doing compared to the blonde kid, with large [Aura].

Of course, we can just toss it up with lack of fighting experience and the blonde kid has more experience in leading, where we just watched how he command his team, to kill off the first Grimm that chase after them with the other team.

After we finished watching everything; we resumed our random walk, with Mikumo once more leading, seeing how we didn't know the location of all the academies and may as well just take the leap of faith and bet on Mikumo's family curse to send us there.

After all, it happens more than once we bypass all the obstacles to reach where we wanted to go to. And the only thing stopping us is the multiple other locations straying into our pathways, making the journey longer than it should.

A couple of hours later*

(Unknown Desert)

"Think this the [Relic of Knowledge]?" I ask Mikumo, as we glance at the weird unique looking lantern, that's floating above a small tower made out of rock in the middle of this desert.

Behind us, is a tall stone door, that should lead to somewhere, with three stone pathways in the form of a circle, that causing the ones to crumble away to the sky.

With each step, scatter the sand where it would slowly float into the sky, making it look like this place has some kind of weird gravitational field.

In fact, both Mikumo and I could tell that this place is a pocket dimension, that have no life at all with our [Ki-Sense]. Plus, this pocket dimension is pretty small compared to the ones we visit in Murim.

We checked just to be sure if there anything else in this pocket dimension after realizing it is one.

Even if it is kind of a very low ranked pocket dimension. As this pocket dimension seems a bit unstable. Close to being destroyed soon, no clue when, but we experience enough pocket dimensions to know when it's unstable or not.

"Who knows, with my family curse. It's almost 20% chance of getting what we want in our travel." Mikumo didn't drop the thought of the idea this lantern being the [Relic of Knowledge]. But, wasn't 100% sure it is.

"Isn't it 70% for you, though?" I look at my wife, as I grab the weird looking lantern. Then held my wife's hand, so she could lead us out of here.

"Sure, but there is the 30% of failing what I want. Remember? We literally had to go through many places before we even reach location we are aiming for. I even remember we ended up next to an acted volcano. And we were lucky enough to cover ourselves with our [Ki] or end up getting burnt alive." Mikumo started noting off many different places we have been to before we get to the place we want.

Sure, Mikumo has a 70% chance of getting to where we wanted, but after failing for the first time. Then, the chance will decrease to the point we have to give up and try again next time, where we have to wait until next month until she regains back 70% chance to pick where she wants to go.

As each fails will decrease that 70% by 1%. So, Mikumo and I would wait for half an hour or more before trying again.

So, we have 70 tries before Mikumo's curse will become even more powerful, where it takes a few minutes and require taking a corner turn before it takes in effect, but upon reaching 0%.

Then, Mikumo only need to take a single step for her family curse to take into effect, making each step teleporting to random places and the only way to stop this. Is for Mikumo to not take a single step at all and require me to carry her for an entire month or risk her teleporting to another location, far away from the previous spot she was just before.

And to make it worse, upon reaching 0%, Mikumo taking a single step before the month is up. Will be reset, not even if one minute remaining is left before the month is over, it will still be reset back to an entire month of random teleportation for Mikumo.

So for an entire month; Mikumo would temporarily be a cripple without the ability to work on her own, not even inside the bathroom for herself. Making it very embarrassing for Mikumo at the beginning, for me to take care of her for many months.

As Mikumo and I wanted to figure out all the ins and outs of her family curse since she technically the last remaining member of her family.

Of course, Mikumo and I could try our best to have a child of our own, but we rather not let innocent lives enter the dangerous world of Martial Arts, where it's the strength eat the weak, and only the strong live kind of world.

"Well, let just find someone, maybe Salem, to see if this the one we're looking for." Mikumo accepts the hand of her husband, then lead us out of here.

Without even blinking; the entire surroundings rapidly change like everything is speeding up without stopping, that's beyond anyone could see with their naked eyes. And it would easily hurt someone's eyes if seeing this for the first time. Worse case, going blind for a while.

A few minutes later*

(Unknown)

Mikumo blink.

I blink.

The people next to us blink.

The people sitting all over the place in this giant room, with us on the stage, blinks.

Without any warning; a white hair male adult, with glasses, charge at me with multiple jabs at me, with his cane, and I could see the panic look on his face. As I continue to dodge his attacks.

"GLYNDA! PROTECT THE STUDENTS!" The white hair man, who shouted at the other adult, who's blonde and wearing a glasses as well. And the way this white hair man said, then this Glynda person and himself are teachers.

Glynda, who the blonde middle aged lady, toss something into the air, then start waving what looks like some black rod, and a barrier of the color purple formed around us.

I narrow my eyes, then start using the [Earth Rebellion: Reflection Technique]. To parry away this Ozpin person, that attacked me out of nowhere, without saying anything.

The [Reflection Technique] is one of the [Techniques] belong to the [Earth Rebellion's Techniques], that stops the flows of power and redirects them back to the opponent or elsewhere.

The strength or pattern of the attack does not matter since the [Reflection Technique] does not block the attack, but reflects the force of it. Thus, this [Technique] can be used towards stronger opponents than the user using this [Technique].

Of course, there is a weakness to this [Technique], where the user must be fast enough to see the attacks of the opponent. Otherwise, the user will be caught off guard and get injured, at worse, death.

So, I continue to use one hand the entire time to redirect all his cane attacks the moment he sneaks attack me.

In my opinion, I'm not even using the full effect of the [Reflection Technique], where I could literally reflect the force behind the attacks back at the owner and increase the power by channel a bit of my [Ki] to boost the attack back at the opponent, killing them by their own attacks.

Mikumo wasn't standing by and watching this, and help out by taking on Glynda, who was easily taken down in seconds due to not being prepared when she was setting up this barrier, to protect the students around us.

Not even 10 seconds or so for the barrier to appear and drop down the moment Glynda was knocked out cold.

Yeah, neither Mikumo and I wanted to kill anyone just yet, as we're in an unknown realm, where if we kill these people. Then, the people backing them will send their experts to hunt us down.

Both Mikumo and I rather not have to deal with this again. Since this happened to us more than once back in Murim. Not wanting to repeat it again in this new realm.

I glance at Mikumo, who is currently pressuring the students with her [Ki], preventing them from coming to help their teachers. Along with what looks like the other teachers/experts among the students, where they have their weapons out.

"I don't know how you got your hand on the [Relic of Knowledge] without the [Spring Maiden], but I'll take it back and after taking you and your companion down, for questioning." Ozpin said in a cold tone, as he speeds up the pace of his attacks, hoping to overwhelm his opponent with pure speed.

"Oh, so this is the [Relic of Knowledge]. Thanks for confirming it for me." I allow myself to smirk at the brat before me. Yeah, I think this person is a brat, seeing how I see lots of people as brats/kids due to my age. Unless, this white hair brat is older than I am, with proof, then I'll continue to think him as a kid.

Ozpin look at his opponent with a panic and shocked looks, realizing that his opponent is mostly not knowing what he was holding and just revealed what it is, to the enemy from the way his opponent just said, then he just screw up big time, causing him to increase his speed beyond what his body could withstand.

Not wanting to continue this any further after having someone knowing what the [Relic of Knowledge] look like and confirming it. It's time for Mikumo and me to leave, as we got what we wanted, really liking our luck so far today.

Using another [Earth Rebellion's Techniques], and one that Mikumo copy herself and the first one to learn upon seeing it done once.

Beyond what Ozpin could see and watch his opponent disappear before he let out a painful grunt, where he crashed into the ground, breaking his [Aura Shield] instantly. Ozpin couldn't understand what just happen and already been defeated by this unknown enemy, who managed to get one of the [Four Relics] without his notices.

The [Underground Throw] is something I like using most against people, who are specialized in speed. Great for a takedown, as these people should have a weak body and only take a bit of strength for the [Underground Throw], to take them out of the fight.

Quickly, I rush over to Mikumo, who watched the entire fight while making sure no one tries to be a hero or something and heard everything and ready to get us out of here.

Grabbing my wife's hand; we started running, but we heard a shout from Ozpin, then instead of everything speeding up. We found ourselves in a pitch black void.

"Keep going!" I shout to my wife, who stop briefly, causing wherever we are to drain our [Ki Reserve] and resume running upon hearing my shout.

A few minutes later*

(Unknown)

Slowly, we walk out of the void of darkness and enter the tunnel of life. Usually, I would stay away from that as I heard, for those that are close to death would tend to walk into the light, and then, they are dead. But, for now, I'm going to allow Mikumo to drag me to the light, no matter how much I want to stray away from the light.

A few minutes later*

(Unknown)

Then in just a few minutes, we find ourselves in a blinding light, that would have left us to lose our eyesight forever before it dies down, where we finally see where we are.


	4. Arc 1 - Chapter 3: Too Bad

Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is purely a fanfic for enjoyment.

Cross-over from various games, books, anime, manga, and movies.

The familiar characters you see here belong to their respected authors and owners.

 _'Thoughts'_

"Speech"

Time*

 **Noise***

(Location)

* * *

 **Arc 1 - Chapter 3: Too Bad**

(Unknown)

"You know, seeing a naked girl in the middle of this darkness based realm isn't something shocking." I said to Mikumo, who calmly staring down at the embarrassed girl, named Summer Rose, that trying her best to hide her private part.

"Eyes off the brat, Meng. If you wanted to see some skin. You can just ask me to do so later." Mikumo rolls her eyes at her husband, for staring at the young lass's naked body.

"Skin?" I look at my wife with eyes of confusion, then look back at the little girl again.

"I don't think there even any skin at all. What I'm looking at is her [Soul Form]. I'm honestly amazed right now, that she has a human appearance and have the same look as her physical body's age. Usually, those that are cultivating the [Soul]. It usually has a different from their physical body. Like for example, one would look like a child version of themselves or missing some kind of feature belong to their physical body like hair. Meaning, their [Soul Form] would be bald." I explained.

"Oh, right. Forgot you know other occupations than the standards back in Murim." Mikumo replied, finally remember her husband is a lot older than her. Not even her own husband knows his true age at this point.

"Summer was it? When did you appear here and do you happen to remember the last thing happen to you before you arrive here?" I ask the little girl before me.

"Uh, I was facing an army of Grimm for my last stand, but never remember how I died. Then I end up here, wherever is here." Summer replied, "If you don't mind. Who are you two and how did you come here?"

"You don't need to know." Mikumo said in a cold tone, causing Summer to shiver a little as Mikumo release a small amount of her [Ki].

"Hmm. Is it just me or is she different from the one we saw before coming here." I look at Summer's [Soul Form] and feel it a bit different to the one I met back in the room, where that whitehead teacher tried to take me down.

"Girl." Mikumo quickly connected the dots, "Have you ever seen us before?"

Summer frowns a little at how rude this woman before her speaking such a rude manner to her when she been polite the whole time.

"No. This is the first time I have seen the two of you." Summer replied, not wanting to anger the beings before whom she thinking may not be human at all. Who knows what they could do to her if she tried anything.

"Hmm. Think I can think she is from an alternate reality." I rub my chin with my right chin while continuing to hold the [Relic of Knowledge] with my left hand.

"Excuse me?" Summer look confuses a bit, wondering what I'm saying.

"Quiet girl. My husband is thinking about something." Mikumo stares down at Summer, who looks like she wanted nothing more than punching the day life out of Mikumo.

"Hmm. I think we can get the answer with this thing." I bring up the [Relic of Knowledge] up to my face, then inject it with my [Ki], causing it to release a blue light, that shines the entire darkness realm of sky blue light.

"Is this Summer, in her [Soul Form] from an alternate reality from the one that I, Meng Tendou, and my wife, Mikumo Kushinada, came from the previous realm?" I ask the [Relic of Knowledge].

Nothing happens for a few seconds before a voice appears, that sound neither male or female. Neither young or old. In a completely neutral voice without any hint of emotion behind it.

"The Summer Rose before everyone is from the same reality everyone just came from." The [Relic of Knowledge] replied, then the blue light disappears instantly the moment it spoke its last word.

Summer blinks in shock, to see the [Relic of Knowledge] actual speak.

I tilt my head and give a good stare at the [Relic of Knowledge].

"Something happens, Meng?" Mikumo knew right away that something caught her husband's attention.

"I feel like this [Relic of Knowledge] is like one of those [Spirit Treasures] made from the ancient time before my era in Murim." I replied to Mikumo, who didn't even look like she heard such a thing.

So, I continue off with an explanation, "[Spirit Treasure] are [Artifact] that made by being used special energy other than [Ki], along with very rare materials that give these [Spirit Treasure] abnormal abilities that not even Martial Artists or any other professions could do. The art of the [Spirit Craft] had long been a mystic and no one had been able to recreate the process of making a [Spirit Treasure]. Take your family's curse for example. A [Spirit Treasure] would have something similar to it."

Mikumo stares at the [Relic of Knowledge], then look at her husband with a blank stare, "Okay. So that lantern is a [Spirit Treasure] then?"

"Yup, and a very high rank at that. I would say this is a [God Artifact]. Because I can feel a massive amount of [Ki] or something similar to [Ki] inside this lantern for a brief moment when I injected my own [Ki] into it." I replied.

"Hmm. Too bad I'm not much a craftsman type of person." I shrugged my shoulders that I don't have much talent in the craftsmanship department.

"Now, that we know this Summer is from the same realm we just came from. Which is kind of weird if she from that realm and haven't seen us before, even when we just saw her; well, her hair is a bit longer. Nonetheless, I would why she in her [Soul Form] then with her physical body." I explained to Mikumo, along with Summer who hear everything.

"In fact, Summer here still have all of her [Three Yang Souls: Heavenly Soul, Earthly Soul, and Hell Soul]. Also known as the [Etereal Soul], [Sensory Soul], and the [Spirit of Life]. Along with her [Seven Yin Souls: Happiness, Anger, Love, Fear, Sadness, Evil, and Pensiveness]." I'm a little surprised to see Summer haven't turned into a malicious spirit by now.

"By now, her [Three Yang Souls] should have gone to their realm upon her death. While her [Seven Yin Souls] should have stayed in her physical body if she had one. So the Yin aspect of her [Soul] would have attached to something or someone. Maybe forming her own [Soul Form] after a few days or months." I give Summer a good look, who is currently shocked there are such a thing and blush a little for seeing me looking at her while she naked still.

"What are these [Three Yang Souls] and [Seven Yin Souls]?" Mikumo looks very confused now, that she never heard such a thing over her year in Murim.

"Well, I can barely remember everything about them. But, the [Three Yang Souls], each [Soul] go to their respective places after death. Which is kind of weird, since Summer here, have all [Three Yang Souls] in one [Soul Form] instead of being separated upon her death. Not to mention that her [Seven Yin Souls] are seven emotions, that slowly disappear after death. And if the [Souls] that become [Evil Spirits] go against the natural order and retain all [Three Yang Souls] and [Seven Yin Souls], allowing them to cultivate to the point of becoming a [Supreme Evil Spirit], gaining the ability to separate their [Seven Yin Souls] into fragment [Soul Avatars]." I started explaining about what I know about the [Three Yang Souls] and [Seven Yin Souls] I could remember so far, but it wasn't much.

"I-I'm not going to be turned into an [Evil Spirit], am I?" Summer looks at me with worry eyes, hoping that she wouldn't become one after I explained how dangerous these [Evil Spirits] are and what they could do to others. As well, the punishment for those that became [Evil Spirits].

"Honestly?" I stare around the area, which is pretty much just darkness. "You should have become one by now. So, something must have caused you to keep your [Soul] from transforming into one. Did you do anything that may have caused this?" I ask Summer, seeing how this isn't something possible and I have faced many [Evil Spirits] back in Murim before.

Yup, there are other beings than the human race. Even the [Evil Spirit] is considered an immortal being already, thanks to not being limited by time itself besides having to face the trial in a certain time by the Heaven, where they may end up getting killed if they failed the trial.

"Hmm. Let's see if this [Relic of Knowledge] has the answer." I activate the [Relic of Knowledge] once more to give us the answer, even if it technically wasting another question of the three I'm allowed to use. Who knows when I could use it again.

"How come this Summer before us still have her [Three Yang Souls] and [Seven Yin Souls], along with the fact why she hasn't turned into an [Evil Spirit] yet?" I gamble to see if I could put two questions into a single sentence and see if it work.

"Summer Rose before everyone is considered dead, but not dead at the same time. She's in the border between life and death. Furthermore, Summer Rose, while in her [Soul]. Upon leaving this realm, she will regain back her physical body." The [Relic of Knowledge] explained before the blue light disappeared once more.

But, before it disappears completely, I active it a third time to see if it work and it did.

"Is it possible for me to use the [Relic of Knowledge] more than three times without requiring the [Spring Maiden's Power]?" I tried to ask this question, to see if it's possible and to see if my gamble from before worked.

"You can by using the [Blood Essence] as a way to bypass the restriction, but require a recharge period of 1 week upon using the [Blood Essence] to ask three questions."

After that was done, the [Relic of Knowledge]'s blue light disappears and the blue color of the lantern turned gray, showing it out of power.

"Well, look like my guess on if this [Relic of Knowledge] is a [God Artifact] and it is, if it could still be used with [Blood Essence]." I mumble to myself, but Mikumo and Summer heard me.

"Isn't using [Blood Essence] dangerous, though?" Mikumo knew right away why [Spirit Treasures] is so powerful from what husband explained a few minutes ago. If something requires the [Blood Essence] of someone to power it. Then, it is a very dangerous weapon and very powerful.

As the [Blood Essence] are basically the "lifeblood" or "life force" and using it would shorten one's lifespan.

Even ageless immortal would suffer from using their [Blood Essence], but instead of shortening their lifespan. It would decrease that immortal's foundation, affecting their fighting abilities.

"For others, yeah, but for a Martial Artist of the [Black Heaven & Earth Style]. We literally have the ability to change our mortal body into an [Inner Physique] through the use of [One Thought Creating Myriad Physiques] and I have mastered all 12 [Immortal Physiques]. One of them is the [Sacred Spring Physique] and it is one of the two [Immortal Physiques of Softness]. Granting me an endless supply of [Blood Essence] the moment I activate it." I replied to my wife's question, who is shocked that the [Black Heaven Earth Style] had such a thing.

"Wait, doesn't this mean you would technically be an immortal being, ageless one, due to having an endless amount of [Blood Essence]?" Mikumo couldn't believe such a powerful [Technique] existed.

I shook my head, "Nope. Because all the [Immortal Physiques] require me to use my [Ki] to activate them. Otherwise, my [Inner Physiques] would return back to a mortal body, but still more sturdy compared to others. So technically, the [Black Heaven & Earth Style] could give one the temporary status of an immortal being as long as they have [Ki] to support the [Inner Physique]."

I didn't want to give the idea to my wife that the [Immortal Physiques] could be used forever and making one unbeatable. Also, giving one the ability to become an immortal being.

"Uh, if you two don't mind. Can you guys find out how to get off here first before going on your little explanation?" Summer interrupts before I could continue on explaining to my wife about the [Inner Physique] and the 12 [Immortal Physiques].

This caused Mikumo to glare at Summer, as this is among the many things she never heard of and wanted to know more about it before her husband forgot all about it, then she will have to find the right time to ask the question due to the situations sometimes force her to forget or her husband spacing off again for some unknown reasons. Sometime it would last weeks before her husband snap out of it. But at least his body can move on its own while the mind is somewhere else.

"Sure, why not. I rather not find out what would happen to us. The longer we stay in this realm." I didn't really care if this realm is a trapped realm and could just use pure raw power to break through the barrier, to another realm.

"And how are you going to do that? Because I don't see any passage that would lead us to another location." Mikumo has already tried to use [Ki-Sense] to see if there any other beings in this darkness realm, but only detected herself, her husband, and the brat.

"Well, you can just randomly lead us to somewhere. Just close your eyes. Worked many times before. Shouldn't stop you from leaving this realm." I reminded Mikumo that she is our ticket out of this realm, which caused Mikumo to blush a little for forgetting about that.

"How does that solve our problem?" Summer looks very confused about how having Mikumo just walking in a random direction with her eyes close would help us.

Which lead to Mikumo explaining about her family's curse to her, causing Summer to be dumbfounded at this discovery and wonder if it's similar to a [Semblance] of some sort, but for now, those thoughts are for later and now is to escape this realm.

"Remember to hold tight or risk yourself slipping into a different realm from the one we're heading to." Mikumo warns to Summer, of course, she not that merciless to put a little girl into some sort of hell-like realm.

Plus, Mikumo wanted to see if her method of immortality would work for other, why not pick Summer?

Mikumo always wanted a student to teach in order to find out if there a way to improve herself by seeing the many flaws in her students show. Maybe something would give her the insight to increase her skills.

"Okay, you two, keep holding got my hands. I'm going to start." Mikumo made sure to warn her husband and maybe future student before she closes her eyes and walks in a random direction. As she allows her curse to take its effect, to lead everyone out of this darkness realm.

A few minutes later*

(Unknown)

"Okay, Mikumo you can stop now." I said to my wife before she could take another step and lead us to another realm. "I think we're in another reality; nevertheless, we out of that darkness realm. And Summer came with us as well. Naked, though. Hmm. We're going to need to find clothes for her or something."

Upon hearing my words.

Mikumo started looking around the area, checking for any danger nearby. But, only see multiple unknown buildings and machines

Summer lets out a small squeak and squats down, to try her best to cover herself.

I place a hand on Summer's shoulder, causing her to look at me with a red face, then gasp in shock when Summer found herself wearing a white kimono.

Too bad for Summer, I didn't bother to explain to her that her new clothes are literally made out of dense [Ki]. Which is a neat trick I learned from an enemy that created weapons out of [Ki]. I just modified it to make clothes instead.

This is a temporary solution until Summer can get real cloth for herself. Of course, if I don't end up requiring to use my [Ki] in a large amount. I could keep myself, and a dozen others, if they are nearby like a few miles, with these [Ki Clothes] for a long time.

"Mikumo. Find anything that may tell us where we are?" I ask my wife, as I just finished helping Summer with her problem.

"Yeah, just look at those brats over there may tell us where we are." Mikumo point towards a group of people fighting what looks a small army of Grimm.

"Well, this is a surprise. Are we from the same realm or an alternate dimension of the realm?" I wonder if I should be ready for a whitehead kid start attacking me out of nowhere.

"Wait, are we back in Remnant?!" Summer cried out in happiness. As she started looking around in excitement and she can see many familiar buildings, some are new, but she could still remember many buildings like the back of her head.

"Let me check." I replied, then bite the tip of my tongue and use a bit of [Ki] and spit [Blood Essence] onto the [Relic of Knowledge, to activate it.

Instead of the familiar blue light, it's red.

"Are we in Summer Rose's dimension or an alternate version of it?" I asked the [Relic of Knowledge].

"Alternate version." The [Relic of Knowledge] didn't answer further and the red light died out.

This made me raise an eyebrow at this and wonder, maybe I need to channel more [Ki] when I use the [Blood Essence].

"Hmm." I reactive the [Relic of Knowledge] once more, "Is Summer Rose of this alternate version of Remnant dead or alive?"

Both Summer and Mikumo look at me with confusion, mostly Mikumo until a flick of light pass Mikumo's eyes and realize why I asked such a question.

"Summer Rose of this alternate version has been dead for many years." The [Relic of Knowledge] replied.

"Well, I guess we can just leave you here unless you wish to come with us?" Mikumo ask Summer, hoping for Summer to stick around so she could test her immortal method would work on others.

"I'm grateful for you two to bring me back to life somehow. But, I wish to stay with my family, even they not my original family." Summer gives both Mikumo and me a cheerful smile before she burst into white petals and scatter everywhere briefly and rush towards the sky, then slam into the ground just where the group of four girls in the middle of the Grimm.

I don't even need Mikumo to show any expression when I could easily sense how she a bit mad at Summer for not accepting the offer to sticking with us. Where countless Martial Artists, even other professions would gladly join us in the hope to learn from us.

"Come on. We don't need to stick around. We have what we need from this realm, or alternative ones' [Relic of Knowledge]." I said to my wife, because this realm is just too weak for any challenge. Furthermore, none of the Grimm or the mortal of this realm would force me to go above the basics.

Looking down at the area, where Summer hugging looks like her daughter and maybe a family friend. Hard to tell with the second one since the first one look almost the same as Summer, but being in red and black.

I look at the [Relic of Knowledge] and wonder if I could change its appearance. I rather not have to deal with fighting with one hand all the time.

Activating the [Relic of Knowledge] once more with my [Blood Essence] to find out if I can.

Instead of answering, much to my confusion, when I suddenly gained the knowledge out of nowhere on how to manipulate the [Relic of Knowledge].

Following the directions that I gained from the knowledge and channel a bit of [Ki] into the [Relic of Knowledge], with an image of what the [Relic of Knowledge] should take the form as, which is a red metal bracelet attached to my left wrist.

Mikumo looks at me with an eyebrow raise at the [Relic of Knowledge], that now as a small bracelet that no one should be able to figure out it the [Relic of Knowledge] before.

I grab my wife's hand, who look at Summer with disappointing eyes, then started walking before allowing Mikumo to take the lead, causing the surroundings to speed up and changing beyond what others could comprehend.

A few minutes later*

(Unknown)

The moment we arrived at a new place, because we found ourselves entering a restaurant of some sort.

Neither Mikumo or I said anything and just head in, where we notice a large number of people underground for some reasons.

"Welcome! What'll it be?" The chef greets both Mikumo and me, then Mikumo glance at me and I just shrug my shoulders. Letting her know we may as well eat and as for payment. Well, either Mikumo or I could just pickpocket someone nearby to pay.

"The steak combo." Mikumo said to the chef after a quick check of what's on the menu.

"Grilled or broiled?" The chef asked.

"Grilled over a low flame." Mikumo replied, she likes her steak to be grilled a bit longer and steady.

"Comin' up!" The chef shouted in response and a waitress came to lead us over to our room, which made me raise an eyebrow raise when we're being lead to the back room, where those three people that were sent to the underground and guessed maybe there more room for customers underground since it looks like on this floor, it is almost full and more people are coming in.

As Mikumo and I enter a vacant room with a table, chairs, and food.

The door was close behind us by the waitress.

"Wow, maybe the people here have figured out a way to make food very fast." I comment about how we got our food less than a few minutes, talk about fast.

"I really don't care if they make their food fast. If they taste awful, then it's a waste of ingredients and money." Mikumo replied with disdain if the food tastes awful to her.

So, Mikumo and I started eating and to our surprise. The food tastes decent, even when it was made so quickly.

Then out of nowhere the room started shaking and feel like we're heading to the underground.

"Huh, maybe these are just appetizers? Maybe there a party in the underground?" I said to Mikumo, who nod in agreement since there wasn't much food on the table and could easily be finished very quickly by us.

"But, what I don't get is. Why are we being sent there? I'm pretty sure I only a steak combo, not a feast." Mikumo said back, while she is a bit curious if there really a big party underground and why they are invited.

"Who knows, maybe this is a special event for people that order the same things as you did and thought we are part of the people coming for the special event? It's not like we haven't been part of one in the past before by accident." I said as I slowly consume the food on the table.

"I guess. But, if I swear if someone dares try anything at me. I'm going to break something and if things become worse, I'm going for the kill." Mikumo didn't reject the idea of entering a party, but she had a bad experience with men due to her appearance.

"Go ahead. I won't stop you. But, just make sure not to ruin the food, because we may as well take this chance to eat all we can." I said to my wife since Mikumo figures out a way for us to eat a large amount of food and allow our body to last a bit longer without the need to eat while still in peak conditions for fights.

A few minutes later*

(Underground Tunnel)

After a while, the room stops moving and the doors open, revealing the sight of hundreds of people, and they are looking at me; well, mostly at Mikumo than myself.

I notice we're in a giant tunnel, with weird machines attached to the ceiling and walls.

"Excuse me. Here's your number badge." A person, that carrying what looks like a bunch of other plastic number badges and hand two with the numbers: 407 and 408.

Mikumo took number 407 and I took 408. Then the person that handed this to us left.

"I don't think there any food down here." I mumble to Mikumo, who thought the same and just give everyone else the cold stares, looking down everyone besides herself and her husband.

As Mikumo and I walk towards the people, where Mikumo and I notice there were more men than women. Among them; I could sense two people that could use their [Ki] while the rest before me seem more like those mortals that haven't gained access to using their own [Ki] yet.

"Hello! Name's Tonpa." A short, fat man, introduce himself, "Nice to meet ya."

"Go away." Mikumo said coldly to this Tonpa, causing the fat man to take a couple steps back before falling onto his butt when he felt Mikumo releasing a bit of her killing intent.

The others felt this and figure out Mikumo wasn't someone to be messed with and look away when Mikumo's eyes move towards them.

Mikumo and I walk towards the crowd while keeping track of everyone in case someone wanted to go for a sneak attack. Neither Mikumo or I know why so many people are here.

 **BRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-BANG!***

With a jab towards the sound, destroying whatever causing that annoying noise. With a [Ki Transmission Air Strike]. An advanced [Ki Technique] that transmit the user's power through the air, achieved by collecting the rotational force of one's motion until it forms into a needle, forged by their own [Ki]. At that point, that collected atmospheric force would then be directed from the circular motion into a straight line via punch, where it is sent barreling into the target.

Of course, a master of this [Ki Technique] could do it instantly and without having to take a stance to perform it, along with striking the target without touching anything else near it.

"Well, now. That was uncalled for. Anyway, as of now. The registration is closed." Said by a man with no visible mouth, that enter the underground tunnel, with a destroyed bell. "The Hunter Exam will now begin. Everyone ready? Good."

With a hop, the man with no visible mouth land on the ground, with the rest of the crowd. As he directs to the direction, where the end of the tunnel, which should lead to somewhere.

"This way, please." The man with no visible mouth said to everyone as he started walking, "Just so there's no mistake. The Hunter Exam is very rigorous. If you lack the necessary ability. Too bad. If you're unlucky, again, too bad. And the examinees are not above sabotaging each other as you saw. If you're okay with that. Then you're welcome to continue."

Soon the crowd begins following the man with no visible mouth.

"Still with me? Good, you 407 applicants may enter the first phase." With that said, the man with no visible mouth starts moving, but the way he walks, then into a jog made it weird for some of the people in the crowd.

While Mikumo and I didn't seem to be phased by this. As there are countless [Movement Techniques] back in Murim that much weirder than what this guy is doing to increase his speed.

Soon everyone started picking up the paces while neither Mikumo or I look like we're running and continue to walk in a casual manner, but continue to follow with everyone's speed. Something a few people notice right away while the rest are trying their best to catch up with the man with no visible mouth.

"I am Satotz, your examiner for the first phase of the exam. As well as your guide to the second phase." The man without a visible mouth introduced himself and letting everyone know he is this exam's examiner.

Some of the people look very confused upon hearing Satotz introducing himself and mention how he's the guide to the second phase of this exam.

"Second? But what's the first?" One of the examinees asked in confusion, with the others nodding in agreement with the one that asked.

"We've already started the first exam." Satotz replied as he continues using his weird [Movement Technique] to increase his speed. "I _told_ you the exam had begun, did I not? You're now taking it. All you have to do is _keep up_ with me. Simple, no?"

This caused many in the crowd to be shocked at this.

"Where we're going and when we'll _get_ there. I can't say. To find out. Just follow me." Satotz said to everyone.


	5. Arc 1 - Chapter 4: There's Potential

Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is purely a fanfic for enjoyment.

Cross-over from various games, books, anime, manga, and movies.

The familiar characters you see here belong to their respected authors and owners.

 _'Thoughts'_

"Speech"

Time*

 **Noise***

(Location)

* * *

 **Arc 1 - Chapter 4: There's Potential**

(Underground Tunnel)

It has been around 6 hours of running, causing many of the candidates to drop out due to not having the stamina to keep up.

Neither Mikumo or I feel tired or sweat a drop. As this is nothing to us and we not even using [Ki] to increase our speed. Plus, if we did, then we would have reached the end of the tunnel in no time flat.

There were a few males that were staring at Mikumo with lust, but I didn't have to do anything since Mikumo treat them as brats. Plus, if they dare try anything, Mikumo would at most, cripple them where it hurt the most, with a small chance of death. If the males haven't tried to kill themselves out of grief due to their little brother's death.

Nevertheless, I don't have to worry about my wife's safety when she can take care of herself. The only time I would save her in anything if she faced an opponent beyond her fighting level, which I would gladly take over the fight and just hope they last longer than a minute than Mikumo.

After a long run, everyone begins to run up a long staircase.

"Well, let's pick up the pace, shall we?." Satotz said to everyone, then started hopping a few two steps further apart, almost like he jumping with each step.

Soon even more candidates started to fall behind.

"I wonder when things get difficult." Mikumo said to me, while neither of us seems to be tried at all. In fact, we're matching Satotz's pace by walking over two steps apart like him in a way that should physically be impossible, much to the other candidates' dismay at this site.

A few hours later*

Almost everyone is behind a dozen or so steps now, with only two little kids manage to tag along with me and my wife in the front.

"Talk about disappointment." Mikumo said to me, not having to explain further when she meant those other candidates lagging behind us while two little kids managed to overrun them.

"Hey, big sis." The white-haired kid called out to Mikumo, causing him to flinch a little when he saw Mikumo's cold eyes directed at him.

"What?" Mikumo replied, curious of this trained kid that better than most of the adults behind them. Maybe she could take him as a student or not.

"How are you moving like you're walking, but not touching the stairs at all? It's like your floating." The white-haired kid pointing at Mikumo's feet, where what he said is true. Mikumo's feet aren't even touching the stairs and just walking like normal, but floating in midair. Not to mention, that she is going a lot faster than the speed of a normal walk.

"It's a secret." Mikumo wasn't stupid to reveal anything about her when there are many people nearby to overhear her. Plus, even if she did explain how she using this [Movement Technique]. No one would be able to replicate it. Seeing how it requires using [Ki] in a certain pattern inside one's body to use the [Movement Technique]. Of course, this doesn't include her own husband, who is a complete monster and could easily copy it with just from being explained about it alone without the need to demonstrate it.

The white-haired kid would have asked another question, but when he saw the look on Mikumo's face, it made him swallow his questions down or risk a painful ending.

"Hey, mister, why do you want to become a hunter?" The black-haired kid asked me, seeing how it's a bit difficult to speak with Mikumo.

"I don't." I spoke truthfully. After all, I am a Martial Artist, not a Hunter.

"Then, why did you take this Hunter Exam in the first place?" The white-haired kid asked this question before the black-haired one could.

"We didn't even know there was such a thing and we accidentally came here." Mikumo answered for me. "And technically we arrived the moment this Hunter Exam began."

"Why not just drop out, if you have no desire to become a Hunter?" The white-haired kid looks at Mikumo and me like we're crazy for even continue to do the Hunter Exam.

"Interesting." I replied as I noticed more and more people behind us are no longer, running up the stairs with the rest of us.

"Interesting? Interesting in what? The exam?" The black-haired kid asked this time and look at me with a confused look.

"What my husband meant is that we find this whole Hunter Exam interesting and decide to go along with it. There no harm for us doing so and we're not losing anything for that matter." Mikumo answered in my place when I honestly don't feel like speaking with these two kids that much. They remind me too much of those kids back in Murim from that one Sects, where 90% of the members are kids or look like kids, making people that don't know them, to be confused and fall for their tricks.

The Youthful Monsters Sect; a sect specializes in special methods to always look like kids and manipulation. If one not careful, then a kid may spirit you away to the afterlife. This is one of the many rumors related to the Youthful Monsters Sect. Of course, this wasn't just the only reason as the word: Monsters in the Sect's name are due to the members trained in cruel methods to deal with powerful Martial Artis and other occupations. Most of their methods require teamwork funny enough. The more the better.

So, seeing these two kids easily running ahead of many others and the white-haired kid shows the signs of trained as an assassin. Something I can easily tell with just a single glance with all the assassins I faced in the past. Made it harder for me to trust the white-haired kid. The other one I can say for sure, there weren't any needs to be concerned about him, not from being so weak, which is among the reasons, but because I can tell he is completely pure in most ways. This made it easier for others to approach this black-haired kid to befriend without any trouble.

However, this didn't matter to me since, after this Hunter Exam, Mikumo and I will leave this realm for another. Since it looks like the people here are very weak with a selected few just barely above the weaker ones. Even the weakest Martial Artists back in Murim would easily deal with these weaklings by themselves.

"Look!"

"The exit!"

Soon everyone can see the bright light at the end of this tunnel.

A few minutes later*

(Milsy Wetlands)

In a matter of minutes, everyone has reached the exit. Where we've appeared in a wetland.

"The Milsy Wetlands, also known as the Swinder's Swamp." Satotz introduces the name of this wetland. "There are many craft and voracious creatures. Unique to these wetlands. They'll _trick_ you in a blink of an eye, and _eat_ you with relish." Satotz warns the candidates of the danger of the wetlands of the creatures hidden within it. "Follow me and stay focused. It comprises the _next leg_ of the first phase. Please note that..." Satotz turns his head around with an index finger pointing up. "If you are deceived, you are _dead_."

Once Satotz was done explaining, the gate to the underground tunnel close, preventing anyone else from coming out after the duration of time Satotz gave for any last addition to make it out the last few seconds.

"Allow me to reiterate. The creatures here are wily and their tricks are endless... and deadly." Satotz notices a few are skeptical about this. "This is not their whim, but the basis of their entire ecosystem. That's why this wetland is called the Swinder's Swamp. Therefore, do make sure to follow me _closely_ , and stay focused. If you don't, you'll get lost."

"Nice of him to _warn_ us. Can't _dupe_ someone who's on the _lookout_ for tricks." Someone spoke up, causing many to nod their heads, even when they are tired from all the running for hours now.

"That's a lie! He's lying!" Someone shouted, causing everyone to look in the direction of where the shout came from.

On the right side of the closed gate to the underground tunnel, there is an injured man walking to everyone, breathing heavily.

"He's an imposter! He's not the examiner! I'm the real examiner!" The injured man point at Satotz, who didn't seem to be fazed by this.

"I wonder if these people are truly foolish to believe this." Mikumo said to her husband.

"Maybe." I didn't care and still feel bored, especially with this whole Hunter Exam. _'Why did we even continue to stick around?'_ I thought about any reason other than doing this out of curiosity instead of leaving.

"I'll show everyone!" The injured man drags a weird looking skinny ape, which happens to a similar facial look as Satotz's. "He's one of the wetland creatures! The Man-Faced Ape!"

"Enough with this foolishness!" Mikumo is already annoyed with doing something pointless as this Hunter Exam and it got boring an hour ago. With a speed beyond what everyone but her husband's eyes can detect.

Mikumo appears right behind the injured man and the Man-Faced Ape, then swing her arms, where she uses the [Underground Throw] to launch these two into the ground with enough force, to imprint their entire bodies into the ground. Also, killing them in the process as their bodies couldn't handle the force, causing their bodies to turn into a bloody meaty paste.

This display alone has caused many of the candidates to pale in terror and wonder how a beautiful woman like Mikumo could do such a terrifying thing with a blank look on her face.

"Now, that's over. Where to next?" Mikumo looks at Satotz, who tried his best not to show how nervous he is right now.

"Right this way." Satotz did not dare to delay any longer, nor did he want to trigger whatever this powerful, dangerous lady, where she most likely kill everyone here, including the ones that are more powerful compared to the rest. But, even Satotz can tell, even with everyone grouping up won't be enough to take on the dangerous lady for even a few seconds before everyone is killed off by her.

Soon everyone begins running again, with Satotz leading everyone to the second phase's location. However, 10 minutes into the run. A thick fog appears, which many find troubling. But, for someone else, this is big.

Quickly, I noticed Mikumo's [Ki] disappearing from the area, most likely her curse acted up and now I have to search for her. Again.

So, using [Ki-Sense] to locate Mikumo's [Ki] and to my frustration. She was not in this realm at all. Luckily, I can still track her down across multiple realms and would require me to use a large amount of [Ki] to exit and enter between realms. Something I sometimes find myself envious of Mikumo's curse, where she can cross over realms with ease. Not require any bit of [Ki] at all.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, I activate the [Immortal Physique of Pure: Soaring Immortal Physique], the fastest [Inner Physique], granting me unmatched speed and upon reaching the max level of this [Inner Physique] gave me the ability to pass through any spatial fabric or even stop time itself. Therefore, traveling across multiple realms. However, this only gave me the ability to travel, but without the ability to locate which realm I will end up. But, as long I lock onto Mikumo's [Ki]. I will reach the realm she currently in.

A few hours later*

(Unknown)

 _'Damn it. With Mikumo continue to move on her own. It's starting to get harder and harder to catch up with her.'_ I frown, that Mikumo isn't staying in one spot to wait for me, but instead, continue to move on her own without waiting for me to catch up to her. Even with the [Soaring Immortal Physique] that is known for its speed wasn't a match against Mikumo's family curse.

I didn't dare open my eyes as I may end up entering a realm, that would stop me from leaving and just continue running towards Mikumo's [Ki].

Running low on [Ki]. I had to stop, much to my frustration, but I can't do anything about it. Since the [Inner Physiques] take a lot of [Ki] to power for a while. _'Maybe I should work on increasing my [Ki Reserve] again.'_ I shook my head, wondering if I need to increase my [Ki Reserve] to the point of being able to use the [Soaring Immortal Physique] for days instead of just hours like normal.

There is the option of using the [Black Origin Threshold] to gain near-limitless [Ki], but using it together with the [Inner Physique] would just cause many internal damages afterward. Even if just used for a few minutes.

 _'Look like I have to wait until my [Ki Reserve] is back to full capacity.'_ I felt the urge to use the [Blood Essence] to activate the [Relic of Knowledge], but remember it hasn't been a week yet for the [Spirit Treasure] to finish recharging. Furthermore, I still lack the amount of [Ki] to activate the [Sacred Spring Physique] to give me the endless supply of [Blood Essence] I need. There is no way I'm using my [Blood Essence] outside fo the [Sacred Spring Physique].

Looking around, I noticed I'm in some kind of forest. Weirdly enough under the [Ki-Sense]. I can feel many life forms. Yet, all their [Ki Reserve] is very low, to the point, I wonder if these are civilians or wild animals. So, I increase the [Ki-Sense]'s range even further until I detect some that have [Ki Reserve] above the average ones, that should belong to Martial Artists.

Shaking my head, I sit down on the ground in a lotus position. Then begin using the [Heavenly Breath] belong to the [Black Heaven & Earth Style], for me to speed up the recovery of my [Ki] through precise and refined breath control, where I inhale the air in my surroundings that contain [Ki]. However, the [Heavenly Breath] is something I usually don't use due to how dangerous it is to myself and others, mostly the others.

Inhale.

The grass within 1 kilometer withers instantly as if the life force from the grasses been directly sucked out of them.

Inhale.

All the trees within 1 kilometer begin to break down as these trees no longer alive and even the roots in the ground shrink until all roots are gone. Leading to the trees to fall over easily without anything holding them up.

I stop using the [Heavenly Breath]; frowning to find out that the [Ki] in nature is very low and couldn't even sustain me for two whole breaths. Not to mention, the amount of impurity in the [Ki] I inhale just made it worse if I dare merge the [Ki] with my own. Therefore, I just burn all the [Ki] I obtained without hesitation.

Standing up, then start thinking if I need to use the [Ki Absorption] to drain the [Ki] from living beings. With the way Mikumo's [Ki] getting further away from me by the second. I'm even debating to absorb the very [Ki] of these lands until nothing remains, but I highly doubt I have the time to refine and convert the [Ki] to be safe for me to merge with.

Closing my eyes, to check how far Mikumo is now and sighed in relief she finally stop. However, I can't let my guard down and need to recover my [Ki] fast. As my natural recovery is too slow for my comfort in the case of Mikumo start moving again. So, I expand my [Ki-Sense] to locate a place with more [Ki] that's in nature than people.

I continue to expand the [Ki-Sense]'s range until I found a [Ki Reserve] much bigger than those Martial Artists I sensed before.

Debating if I should absorb this person's [Ki Reserve] for my own or not, then decide to just go ahead and do so, because it's a lot easier to refine and convert the [Ki] from humans than other beings or things contain [Ki].

A few minutes later*

(Unknown Building)

Under the effects of [Earthly Displacement], through the uses of using a large amount of [Ki] to mess with others' senses by making it so they can't sense me. Nor could they see me with their own eyes at all, this includes of them using some sort of [Techniques] to see from afar wouldn't work on me once the [Earthly Displacement] is activated.

However, the moment I appear next to the target with the highest [Ki Reserve] I detected. I'm a little surprised to see a little girl, with short purple hair and red eyes. Hiding behind some unknown metal object and staring at me in shock.

If I were to guess, she should be around two years old. But, I could be wrong since I haven't seen many kids and sometimes guess their ages wrong. Nonetheless, to think I would find a little girl with such [Ki Reserve] and it hasn't harmed her in any way due to having so much [Ki] in such a small body.

"Hey, who are you and why you wearing such a thing in the hospital?" The little girl asks the unknown man, who just appears before out of thin air, which almost made her wet herself from experiencing a jump scare. "And how did you appear out of thin air?!"

"Tell me little one. Are you sick or something?" I ignore the questions and just curious if she just looks fine and everything, but I wonder if anything is wrong with her mentally with all that [Ki].

"No..." The little girl seems confused about this before shaking her head and glare, "Hey! You haven't answered my questions! Who are you and how in the world did you appear out of nowhere?!"

"I'm Meng Tendou. As for how I appear here. Martial Arts." I simply answer straightforward, no needs for going all details and whatnot, that isn't worth mention.

"Martial Arts?" The little girl tilts her head to the side, "How is that possible?! Don't lie to me!" The little girl shouted in rage for lying to her face.

"Like this." I pick up the little girl by the back of her collar, then using a bit of [Ki] to cover the little girl's body to protect her from being crushed under the pressure upon going beyond at a certain rate of speed. Then, I move.

A few seconds later*

(Unknown Building: Rooftop)

In a few seconds, I appear on the rooftop of this weird looking building. With the little girl looking around in shock, to discovered the surroundings have changed.

"HOW?!" The little girl shriek, causing some of the civilians in the building to move in a frenzy from what I can tell with [Ki-Sense].

"Martial Arts." I lied a little, but training in certain types of Martial Arts would give one's body to go beyond the limit of what one could normally do. The [Black Heaven & Earth Style] is just one of the rare ones that have the highest success rate of the result obtain such body.

"Teach me!" The little girl demand, as she can't seem to figure out how in the world this person move in a speed that is beyond what a human should be capable to do; furthermore, she knows that going beyond a certain speed would cause backlash to the surroundings as well, but no such things have occurred. Therefore, this guy must be using something else that's just under the name of Martial Arts, because she knows for sure that the Martial Arts she knows can't do such a thing from what she just experience.

"And why should I?" I raise an eyebrow at the little girl.

"Then why did you bring here in the first place?! Unless you're one of those weird uncles that everyone beat up every time one comes near me?" The little girl tries to move away, but seeing how she is currently being carried by the collar made it difficult for her to move away.

"My wife calls me weird sometimes, but never an uncle." I said to the little girl in my usual blank tone of voice.

"Uh, okay." The little girl isn't so sure if this is a good thing or not. Smart as she is, but she is still a two-year-old girl and hasn't experienced the outside world. "So, can you teach me Martial Arts?"

"And why should I?" I repeat the same question as before, causing the little girl to puff her cheeks at me.

"Well, I got nothing else to do in this place! It's really boring! Plus, I bet I can learn Martial Arts easier and master it in no time." The little girl grins at me, as if her words are the truth and nothing could change it.

"Really now?" I raise an eyebrow, curious if she does know how to use [Ki] at such a young age. The earliest age I could recall barely about someone using [Ki] is at the age of 10 and the kid is from some family that trains kids early on. But, if this little girl actually knows how to access her [Ki], then I must have found a monster genius and one that very young, for me to see if she worthy enough to face me later on if she doesn't end up dead on the way.

In fact, I wonder if she likes Mikumo and can manage to recreate some of the [Black Heaven & Earth Style]'s moves. If so, then I'll have someone other than Mikumo to fight with, even for a minute.

"Yeah! I learned all kinds of things very quickly, that caused many adults to be amazed and sad. No idea why they end up sad, though. Anyway! Teach me Martial Arts!" The little girl demand.

"I'll give you a test, to see if you worth the effort in teaching." I place down the little girl, then raise my left hand, where a red ball made out of [Ki] appears, floating above my palm. "Make this and I'll think about teaching you." I allow a hint of disappointment in my eyes when I saw the surprised look on the little girl's face.

"What in the world is that?!" The little girl asks in disbelief, to see a ball made out of red light that just pops into existence and she can't understand how in the world it came to be. Just that she knows the strange adult before her eyes is the one that created that ball of red light.

"Just a ball made out of [Ki]." I simply answer, no point of lying. "By the way, what's your name, little one?" I just realize I gave her my name already but never got hers in return.

"Really? You don't know who I am?" The little girl asks with a surprise on her face and in disbelief that someone doesn't know about her in this building up to now.

"I wouldn't have to ask if I did, would I?" I raise an eyebrow at the little girl.

"The name's Medaka Kurokami!" Medaka introduces herself, not knowing that her fate has changed during this moment of meeting this strange man before her.


End file.
